A 10-year-old boy narrowly avoided becoming paralyzed after he fell onto a steak knife while making a grilled cheese.
Landen Sturman, 10, was making a grilled cheese sandwich at home when he tripped backward into an open dishwasher, landing on an upward-facing steak knife.
The blade lodged itself in his spine, coming dangerously close to causing permanent paralysis, Perth Now reports.
Doctors at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) said Landen avoided paralysis by mere millimeters.
After hours of delicate surgery performed by specialist neurosurgery and orthopedic teams, the knife was successfully removed with no lasting nerve damage.
Now back at school, Landen is proudly showing off what he calls his new "battle wound".
During his hospital stay, Landen discovered an unexpected passion for puppetry.
Through a creative workshop with the Di Filippo School of Puppetry - part of the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation (PCHF) Arts Program - he found he had a natural talent for marionette puppetry.
The PCHF-funded Artist in Residence program brings professional artists and interactive workshops to young patients, helping them cope with their time in the hospital.
PCHF CEO Carrick Robinson praised the hospital’s care and the impact of creative programs on young patients like Landen.
“It’s wonderful to see Landen doing so well after going through such a traumatic accident thanks to the world-class care he received at PCH,” Robinson said, per the New York Post.
“Despite Landen having a very tough few days at PCH, it’s also a positive to see him discover a new talent during his stay.”
He also highlighted the broader benefits of the creative workshops: “Creative workshops, like those provided through the Artist in Residence program, not only provide kids like Landen with a much-needed distraction, they also help to boost mental health, ease anxiety, and build social connections.”
His mother, Emma, expressed immense gratitude for the medical team’s efforts but also used the experience as a cautionary tale for other families.
“Stacking the dishwasher is something so mundane that most people don’t think twice about it, but it goes to show how even the smallest actions can have a huge impact,” she said.
She urged others to avoid placing knives with the blades pointing upward - a simple precaution that could prevent similar accidents.
“Despite being such a traumatic event for our family, everyone at PCH was lovely. It really was the best outcome we could have hoped for,” Emma added.
Emma also encouraged families to consider supporting the PCHF.
“The overall experience we had throughout Landen’s hospital stay turned a traumatic experience into something positive,” she said.
“If we can prevent even one other family from going through what we did, that would mean the world to us.”