WFAA8 photographer recovering after serious car wreck
09/11/08 11:40 AM
By ED BARK
Veteran WFAA8 photographer Doug Burgess, husband of assistant CBS11 news director Sarah Garza, was seriously injured Tuesday when a concete-hauling dump truck lost control, slid into the opposite lane and slammed into him.
"Doug's car was crushed," Garza said in an email sent Thursday. "He had to be pulled from the car and in true Doug fashion, the first thing he did was call the assignment desk to tell them he would be late to his next interview. I think he was in shock."
Burgess was transported to Parkland hospital with a severely ruptured spleen and all six ribs on his left side broken. But Garza said that her husband since has been removed from the Intensive Care Unit.
"His red blood cell count stayed stable long enough Wednesday that the doctors felt it was safe to move him out of ICU and into his own room," Garza said. "That also means he will most likely not need to have his spleen removed. He is still in a lot of pain, but he is heavily sedated so he is able to sleep. If his blood count, heart rate and blood pressure all remain stable for the next 48 hours, he should be fine to go home."
Garza, who formerly worked in WFAA's newsroom, said she has been reading "dozens and dozens" of emails to her husband, "some from folks we worked with over 17 years ago."
"The kind words, offers to help and prayers are appreciated. Doug is extremely touched. I read him about 20 emails last night. And when I finished, he just said, 'That's so weird.' I don't think he realized how many people care about him. That's Doug. He's a very lucky man -- in more ways than one."
Veteran WFAA8 photographer Doug Burgess, husband of assistant CBS11 news director Sarah Garza, was seriously injured Tuesday when a concete-hauling dump truck lost control, slid into the opposite lane and slammed into him.
"Doug's car was crushed," Garza said in an email sent Thursday. "He had to be pulled from the car and in true Doug fashion, the first thing he did was call the assignment desk to tell them he would be late to his next interview. I think he was in shock."
Burgess was transported to Parkland hospital with a severely ruptured spleen and all six ribs on his left side broken. But Garza said that her husband since has been removed from the Intensive Care Unit.
"His red blood cell count stayed stable long enough Wednesday that the doctors felt it was safe to move him out of ICU and into his own room," Garza said. "That also means he will most likely not need to have his spleen removed. He is still in a lot of pain, but he is heavily sedated so he is able to sleep. If his blood count, heart rate and blood pressure all remain stable for the next 48 hours, he should be fine to go home."
Garza, who formerly worked in WFAA's newsroom, said she has been reading "dozens and dozens" of emails to her husband, "some from folks we worked with over 17 years ago."
"The kind words, offers to help and prayers are appreciated. Doug is extremely touched. I read him about 20 emails last night. And when I finished, he just said, 'That's so weird.' I don't think he realized how many people care about him. That's Doug. He's a very lucky man -- in more ways than one."