One lucky fate-filled man

Revermann treasures life after traumatic brain injury

Tyler Revermann pushed snow last week.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said Nov. 16 about a job he loves, while surviving on coffee and Mellow Yellow.

This 27-year-old never-a-dull-moment man is thankful to be living a normal life in rural Avon with wife Danielle and their son, Laiken, five years after a four-wheel accident left him with a traumatic brain injury.

He is lucky to be alive.

The accident happened Oct. 7, 2017, on the property of his parents, Tom and Melissa Revermann, south of New Munich. Tyler was driving a four-wheeler on a field road after checking his trail camera, and his younger brother, Anthony, also driving a four-wheeler, was coming to check on him when the two collided. Tyler said 80% of the time he wears a helmet, but the brothers were not wearing helmets that day.

Fate stepped in immediately.

“Luckily, my brother came to right away or I don’t know if I would be here today. He called Mom and she called 911,” Tyler said. “A helicopter was already in Melrose at an event and it took them five minutes to pick me up and then bring me to the hospital in St. Cloud.”

Anthony suffered a concussion, and Tyler had a broken collarbone and traumatic brain injury.

Since he was unconscious for the first few weeks, much of what happened had to be told to him.

The first day he had the first of four brain surgeries when a portion of his scull was removed. The left side of his brain, which affects the memory, was damaged. Thankfully, it was fixable, Tyler said.

“The doctor, one of the best brain surgeons in Minnesota, said it was like a puzzle with so many pieces, and the second surgery was to put the pieces back, just like a puzzle,” Tyler said.

Eight months after the accident he had a third surgery due to an infection in his brain, followed by a fourth infection-related surgery.

Three of his surgeries were on the seventh of the month, another faith-related twist of fate, which he said was “one of the coolest things.”

“In the Bible the number seven is one of the most significant numbers. It is the number that is stamped on every work of God,” he said.

Immediate family, including his parents and siblings Anthony, Madison and Conner and extended family were constant visitors.

“I had so many people in my room that they got told to be quiet or to leave,” he said. “That’s why I love my family, because they’re always there.”

He remembers bits and pieces of his two-month hospital stay as his brain healed. His recovery continued at his parents’ house because he needed someone around him at all times, “in case anything crazy happened,” he said.

 Along with the support he received, he credits his rapid recovery to his drive to get better.

“A lot had to do with grinding and pushing myself. Things I didn’t think I could do, I did,” he said.

Plus he had a positive attitude.

“I tell people I’m funnier now than I was before (the accident),” he said.

He feels fortunate.

“The doctors and nurses and everyone who helped me accomplish my goals, whether it was my memory therapist or my family,” he said.

By early spring of 2018 Tyler was back to work, putting in 40 hours at Melrose Electric.

Although he attended the 2018 Spring Hill Charger amateur baseball games, he didn’t pitch again until the 2019 season.

“There were a lot of things people didn’t think I would do again, and here I am doing it,” he said.

Because of his ongoing recovery, Tyler and Danielle’s 2018 wedding was postponed. On June 1, 2019, Tyler married Danielle Esch, who is originally from Elk River but moved to Melrose her senior year with her mom, Kris Hoppe. Tyler and Danielle were in the same grade that year at Melrose Area High School.

“I had to find somebody out of Stearns County because they probably could have been related to me,” he said laughing.

Their wedding was emotional.

“It was another thing we could check off the list of things that may or may not be able to happen,” he said.

Son Laiken was born in June of 2020.

Tyler said today his memory is not perfect, “but it’s a heck of a lot better than people thought it would be.” He is “doctor-free,” as he calls it, struggling occasionally, and he takes medication to prevent seizures.

“Everybody has their imperfections,” said Tyler, the eternal optimist.

His accident and recovery have taught him to live every second like it is his last.

On Oct. 8 and 9, the extended Revermann family gathered at Tyler’s parents’ land to cut wood, which they have done for years on the original Revermann farm site, and Tyler was right there with them, enjoying every minute.

“It can’t get any more special than hanging out with family,” he said.

It was one day after the fifth anniversary of his accident, and the campsite was near where the accident happened.   

He has one memento from the accident.

“When I got my clothes back, a chip from my trail camera was in my pocket, and there wasn’t a deer on it,” he said laughing.

This Thanksgiving – and always – Tyler has much to be grateful for.

Thanks to emergency personnel, medical professionals and family and friends who supported him throughout is traumatic brain injury journey, he is living a normal life.

And Tyler treasures that.