CASPER, Wyo. (March 5, 2025) – Colin Anderson is alive today thanks to the quick and coordinated efforts of bystanders and a Banner Health cardiac surgery physician assistant who happened to be volunteering on the ski patrol.
Anderson, 48, who moved to Casper in October from Florida, was enjoying his first winter on the ski slopes at Hogadon on Casper Mountain when the unthinkable happened. On Dec. 28, he collapsed at the bottom of a run, going into full cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, the survival rate for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is around 10%.
Bystanders, including Dr. Henry Gottsch, a local urologist, immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation and began performing CPR while calling 911 and notifying the ski patrol. Jenny Burke, a Banner Health cardiothoracic surgery physician assistant who was volunteering with the Casper Mountain Ski Patrol that day, was one of the people who responded to the emergency. She used an automatic external defibrillator to administer two life-saving shocks, reviving Anderson.
The situation remained critical, and the ski patrol faced the challenge of transporting Anderson back up the mountain so that he could be transported to the hospital. Despite the rugged terrain, they successfully brought him back to the summit, where a helicopter was waiting to airlift him to Banner Wyoming Medical Center.
Anderson grew up in the northeast and was a ski racer in high school but has spent most of his adult life in Florida. For the last three years, he’s been traveling the country in his RV with his dog, Kira, thinking about where he wanted to live.
He works remotely and if he has an internet connection, can live just about anywhere he wants. He eventually chose Casper, even though he had never been, and was excited to take to the slopes.
He had completed dozens of runs while skiing the previous week and decided to buy himself new skis for Christmas. He collapsed after his first run on his new skis and doesn’t remember anything after putting on his skis on the top of the hill.
"I know I was probably pushing myself pretty hard on the new skis,” he said.
Anderson remembers very little about the incident. He woke up just long enough to tell emergency workers that his dog was in his truck before he was flighted to Banner Wyoming Medical Center. On Jan. 2, he had bypass surgery to unblock his artery. Dr. Robert Phillips and Jenny Burke did the surgery, and Burke has taken care of Anderson for his follow-up care.
Burke herself is a recent transplant to Casper and just started volunteering on the ski patrol this season. She moved to Casper from Washington state in 2022.
“I drank the Kool-Aid,” she said. “I love Wyoming.”
Burke said that heart disease is often referred to as a "silent killer" because it can develop over time without showing any noticeable symptoms until it reaches a critical point, such as a heart attack or stroke. Anderson admits that he hasn’t been to the doctor in several years and remains surprised that something like this happened to him at just 48 years old. He now understands the importance of knowing family history and making sure to get in for regular check-ups.
"I really feel like I got a second chance at life,” said Anderson.
Nancy Mitchell, Anderson’s mother, agrees. She lives in Arizona and got the call about Anderson’s condition and came to Casper as quickly as she could.
“Thank you to the numerous nurses, PTs and OTs who encouraged Colin and greatly enhanced his recovery,” she said referring to the physical and occupational therapists that work with patients during rehabilitation. “And a very special thank you to Jenny Burke. She was with Colin on the mountain, and throughout his entire hospital stay she encouraged and supported him until he went home.”
Two months later, Anderson is still recovering from the harrowing incident and does cardiac rehabilitation three times a week, but his providers are optimistic about his recovery. He credits his survival to the quick response and the remarkable efforts of those around him and looks forward to getting back on the slopes when he gets the “all clear” from his medical team.
About Banner Wyoming Medical Center
Banner Wyoming Medical Center is part of Banner Health and is Wyoming's largest hospital with 249 beds on two campuses. It is one of Wyoming’s most comprehensive hospitals and offers a range of inpatient and outpatients services including emergency services, Level II trauma care, heart care, women and infant services, neurological care and more. It is Casper's only full-service, non-profit hospital. Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
Assets provided on this page were supplied by a third party.
Cutlines:
Colin 1: Colin Anderson takes a selfie at Hogadon Ski Area while skiing on Dec. 20, 2024, days before his full cardiac arrest at the bottom of a run on Dec. 28.
Colin 2: Colin Anderson and his mother, Nancy Mitchell, pose for a photo on Mother’s Day 2024 in Arizona. Mitchell rushed to Casper to be with Anderson for his surgery and raved about the kindness of Casper strangers and the care Anderson received at Banner Wyoming Medical Center.
Colin-Dog 1: Colin Anderson’s dog, Kira, was hanging out in his truck while he went skiing on Dec. 28. Local good Samaritans were able to identify his truck and ensure the dog was cared for while he was in the hospital.
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