JANESVILLE, Wis. — David Potter, a Rock County man, said he was lucky to narrowly escape death, following a catastrophic accident. 

Back in May 2023, while in Florida caring for his father, Potter encountered disaster.

“It just rained. I went on a new road, went around a curve I wasn’t familiar with,” he said. 

Potter lost control of his vehicle.

“Trying to overcorrect — it was a bad idea. The vehicle flipped front to back a couple of times and side to side. About three or four times I just let go, thinking that there was really nothing I could do. And it was pretty much over,” he said.

With severe injuries and a bleak outlook, Potter’s family rushed him back home, enduring three separate flights due to his inability to stay seated for long periods. Potter said he felt despair.

“There’s no end here. This isn’t going to get better,” he said, reflecting on his condition post-accident.

However, Potter’s story turned from tragedy to triumph through sheer determination and the support of Mercyhealth.

Today, Potter continues with a binder full of physical therapy exercises, but he has resumed driving and most of his regular activities. 

Potter endured excruciating pain, especially with his shoulder being ripped six inches from its socket. Derek Drays, a PT assistant at Mercyhealth, said Potter made incredible strides over seven months of rigorous rehabilitation.

“It’s a lot on the patient end; it’s a lot, working as a team to get through the struggle you went through,” Drays said about the recovery process.

In gratitude, Potter, a graphic designer, decided to create something special for his Mercyhealth team.

“It’s more than just a poster that looks good on the wall of the sports clinic; it’s a story about success in medicine,” Potter said, acknowledging the role of his caregivers in his recovery.