FAMILY: Rescued tree trimmer suffered no broken bones in incident

BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) - 7 Action News has learned that a tree trimmer who was pinned in a tree 60 to 80 feet above the ground yesterday suffered no broken bones.

The man's family says he suffered just bruises and soreness in the incident.

Emergency crews rescued the man from a large tree in Brighton Township in Livingston County yesterday.

A huge tree branch had pinned his arm and leg to the trunk.

"I knew he was in trouble. Time played a big factor. We needed to get him down now," says Ryan Sovey, the shift captain at the Brighton Fire Department.

Sovey was one of three rescuers who helped free Donald Lawrence.

"He was d efinitely in some p ain. He was very scared," says Sovey.

Crews feverishly worked from a fire department ladder truck to free the Lawrence, who Brighton police say is in his 30s. The rescue took about an hour.

"We just sat him down in the bucket. He was quiet. He was relieved to be out of that situation," says Sovey.

Police had originally said the man had face trauma, a broken leg and a broken arm. 

Medical workers were on the scene and immediately began treating him. He was later airlifted to U of M hospital.