Love, Hope and Compassionate Care Take Flight at Valleywise Health
Mark Brandemuehl was a dedicated husband, supportive father and committed tech executive, as well as a recreational pilot for more than 20 years. He loved traveling, the outdoors and living life to the fullest, according to Jenny, his wife of more than 30 years.
June 11, 2019, was a typical day for the Brandemuehls. Mark had flown his single-engine Mooney M20 from the Bay Area to Phoenix for a routine executive checkup at the Mayo Clinic. After a clean bill of health, he boarded his plane for a return flight home.
Seven minutes after takeoff, Mark experienced a “rough-running engine.” Air traffic controllers guided him to land at Deer Valley Airport, but Mark was forced to make an emergency landing on a two-way road in North Phoenix.
There were drivers on the road, so he swerved to avoid hitting them. Unfortunately, Mark’s right wing clipped two light poles and caught fire because the fuel tanks are located in the wings. He hit a concrete barrier, flipped upside down and crash-landed in the road. His plane exploded into flames just as Mark was pulled to safety by a heroic bystander.
“Life changes in an instant,” said Jenny. “Immediately after the accident, Mark called from the Valleywise emergency room. He had the presence of mind to tell me he loved me and that it was going to be a long recovery. Then the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center doctor took the phone. I didn’t understand most of what he said; I was probably in shock. But I caught the first flight to Phoenix, not realizing that the next five months would redefine my entire life.”
Mark suffered third-degree burns over 85% of his body. Upon his arrival at Valleywise Health, he was placed in a medically induced coma. The Brandemuehls knew recovery was going to be a marathon, not a sprint.
“The burn center team was incredible,” said Jenny. “They became our second family, especially the nurses. They got to know us and our situation and I really trusted them. They were incredibly knowledgeable about everything we were dealing with, and they kept vigil during the extremely tough times. We are still friends with many of the nurses even today.”
During his time at the Halle Arizona Burn Center, Mark endured dozens of surgeries, many setbacks and several life-threatening infections. Unfortunately, after a gallant fight, he succumbed to his injuries on October 20, 2019, leaving behind Jenny and his two loving sons, Westley and Adrian.
Jenny gives a lot of credit to Dr. Kevin Foster, Surgeon and Director of the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health, and his team for providing her family with hope during a nearly impossible period. According to Jenny, the Valleywise Health team “never said never and they never said always” when it came to Mark’s recovery. Even when Mark had a near-fatal fungal infection, the team was honest and forthcoming about his prognosis in the most sensitive way possible.
After months of journaling in the hospital and pouring her heart out about the ups and downs of burn recovery, Jenny was inspired to channel her grief into a book to help others dealing with tremendous loss. Mark’s terrible accident inspired Jenny to write a new book, Forever Fly Free: One Woman’s Story of Resilience and the Power of Hope and Love. Determined to honor Mark’s legacy and support other families facing unimaginable challenges, Jenny proudly supports Valleywise Health Foundation through her philanthropy.
“This experience was something I would never wish on anyone,” said Jenny. “But it did teach me a valuable lesson: never underestimate the power of hope and love. To me, hope is not about expectation; hope is about a belief in possibilities and the healthcare providers at Valleywise Health modeled that for me. I am forever indebted to their support.”
