Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Cameron Treu, a Utah grill master, was severely injured in a snowboarding accident.
- Treu suffered a ruptured spleen, severed intestines and broken ribs at Kirkwood.
- A GoFundMe* supports his recovery; community rallies around his restaurant, Bam Bam's BBQ.
HIGHLAND — A popular Utah grill master is receiving an outpouring of support from the community after a snowboarding accident over the weekend.
Cameron Treu was snowboarding at the Kirkwood Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe with his wife and four children last Wednesday when a series of events caused him to be catapulted into a tree. The impact ruptured his spleen, severed his small intestines and broke several ribs.
"Me and three of our kids got down to the ski lift and Cam and our other son (Dodger) peeled off a different run, and at the bottom, my daughter said, 'Mom, where's dad and Dodger?'" Cameron Treu's wife, Ashley Treu, recalled. "Right then, I got a phone call from my son and he said, 'Mom, we're OK, but Dad got hurt. He needs ski patrol.'"
Ashley Treu said, initially, it was thought to be a concussion or a knee injury, but upon further assessment of the situation, an ambulance was called, followed by a flight crew.
"They took him really quickly," Treu recalled. "They told us that he had some bleeding and they needed to go in and fix it, but when I got here, they told me that he had a collapsed lung, a ruptured spleen, some broken ribs and he had cut his small intestine in half. There was also something wrong with his pancreas."
Serving more than just food
Cameron Treu is what many are calling "Utah Famous" for what he is able to turn out on the grill. In fact, he owns a barbecue restaurant in Orem called Bam Bam's BBQ that not only serves the locals but eventgoers nationwide. According to his best friend, Andrew Grose, Bam Bam's BBQ has partnerships with BYU, the Utah Grizzlies and the New Orleans Saints, to name a few.
Grose said it isn't just the meals Cameron Treu serves, but the people he serves that make his friend so special.
"He's just a huge personality and he's literally the most generous person," Grose said. "You could probably call 1,000 different people and they would tell you the same thing that I am. He's just a great guy. I've had hundreds of people reach out to me wondering how they can support him."
Ashley Treu agreed, adding an experience that showcased her husband's kindheartedness the day before the accident happened.
"His personality and heart are as big as he is," she said. "He's 6'5" and 300 pounds. He's just a big personality on this Earth and he would give the shirt off his back to anyone. In fact, on our trip to Tahoe, our car kept making a noise and I asked Cam what it was and he said, 'Oh, I put a hitch on the back of our van just in case anyone needed help.' And sure enough, we had to pull over and help someone who got stuck in the snow. That's just the way he is."
Long road to recovery
After three surgeries, including one to remove his spleen, and another to reattach his intestines and remove part of his pancreas, Cameron Treu remains in the hospital, recovering. And while he is expected to recover, the road to recovery will be long and a GoFundMe* account has been set up to help support his family as medical bills pile up. Friends and family are also asking people to support him by going to Bam Bam's BBQ in Orem.
His personality and heart are as big as he is.
–Ashley Treu
"I just can't tell you the amount of people who have reached out and we're just so thankful," Ashley Treu said. "He's had thousands of people praying for him and we have felt it. I'm just incredibly grateful."
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
