When Natalie Phelps talks about her son, Chase Bateman, she wants people to remember far more than the tragedy that ended his life. She wants them to remember an outdoorsman, a beloved family member and his bright, blue eyes that spoke volumes even in the hardest times.
At age 19, Bateman was the youngest of four siblings.
“He loved dirt bike riding, duck hunting, loved hanging out with his friends, spending time with family and was just a wonderful human being,” said Phelps. “He was kind. He was loving. He was handsome and a great uncle and son and brother, and he was just a good guy all around.”
On Oct. 17, 2021, Bateman was involved in a side-by-side ATV accident in Washington County and was airlifted by EastCare to ECU Health Medical Center. What followed were 23 days that would forever connect Bateman’s family and the caregivers who stood alongside them through every setback, every small victory and ultimately, every difficult decision.
As Bateman underwent multiple surgeries and intensive treatment for his injuries, his family held tightly to hope.
“The first few days, he was alert. He was able to answer questions, nod yes or no,” Phelps recalled.
“He had several surgeries, but it was just a lot of hit and miss. We didn’t know if he was going to make it from one day to the next.”
Despite the uncertainty, Phelps never stopped believing her son would recover.
“I really, truly thought that he was going to go home,” she said. “He was going to have a lot ahead of him with maybe more surgeries. But I really thought that he was going home.”
During those 23 days, Tori Myers, BSN, RN, trauma coordinator at ECU Health Medical Center, and countless others became much more than clinicians caring for a patient — they became a support system for Bateman and his family.
Myers vividly remembers meeting Bateman and his family.
“I walked in to find Natalie bedside,” Myers said. “And I got to hear Miss Natalie say, ‘Look at those bright blue eyes.’ That was one of the few things that when we talked about Chase and we talked to Chase, everybody wanted to see him open his bright blue eyes.”
Because Bateman was unable to speak, his eyes became a way for family and caregivers alike to connect with him.
“Chase was always intubated, always on a breathing machine his whole time in the ICU,” said Myers.
“He couldn’t talk and say words, so the way that we wanted to see Chase was through his eyes. And occasionally we could get him to smile and wake up.”
During Bateman’s time at the Medical Center, Phelps remembers the compassion shown by everyone who crossed their path.
“It was the nurses, the doctors, the respiratory team, the patient care techs, the nice lady that came in and would clean his room. I mean, just everybody was absolutely amazing.”
The care they received extended far beyond medical treatment.
“The very last night, one of the doctors came in and he loved old music, and she sat there and sang a song, one of his favorite songs to him,” Phelps recalled. “She played it on her phone and played the whole song and sang every word of the song to him.”
Myers said caring for critically injured trauma patients means also caring for the people who love them.
“It’s hard as an ICU nurse – especially as a trauma nurse – you want to be honest, you want to be truthful, and you want to make sure that when you advocate for your patient, you advocate for the family, too,” said Myers.
And for 23 days, that’s exactly what Bateman’s care team did.
“Some days it was happy news, and we celebrated that together,” said Myers. “Some days the news was a little harder to take.”
After 23 days in the hospital, Bateman succumbed to his injuries on Nov. 9, 2021.
For Phelps, the loss of her son remains immeasurable. Yet throughout the experience, she never doubted the care he received.
“There was never a question that he wasn’t given the care that he deserved, that he needed. Never questioned it,” she said.
Following Bateman’s death, the connection between the family and caregivers did not end. Phelps and her family continue to visit the team each year on the anniversary of Bateman’s passing, bringing treats and sharing memories. For Myers and the care team, those visits continue to have a profound impact.
“I can try to put it into words, but I don’t think that there’s enough words that really will ever quantify how much it means to know that those 23 days still meant so much to you guys and then instead of seeing us as a negative in his story, you see us as a positive,” Myers said. “It kind of refills your cup as a nurse.”
Today, Phelps hopes others facing difficult situations remember the importance of kindness.
“I know it’s hard when you’re in a situation like this to stay positive,” Phelps said. “There were days that it was just flat out hard. Remember to just be kind.”
Looking back, she remains grateful for the care team that helped her family navigate the most difficult 23 days of their lives.
“Thank goodness we have a good one to tell, even though our story didn’t end the way we wanted to,” Phelps said.
Ultimately, Phelps hopes people remember Bateman for who he was.
“He was just such a good, good human being,” said Phelps. “And I just don’t ever want him to be forgotten.”
If you would like to share a story of gratitude with the ECU Health team, please visit go.ecuhealth.org/grateful.