Anxiously waiting outside his Cave Creek home, Brody Burnell is amped up for his Friday morning routine. It’s one that’s taken place now for two years thanks to an unlikely friendship between fellow golf enthusiasts.
“God works miracles and I’m walking proof of it,” said Burnell.
In 2017, Burnell nearly lost his life in a plane crash. He spent time in a coma, underwent numerous surgeries, suffered a traumatic brain injury, and was in a wheelchair for more than a year.
“It’s pretty crazy because there’s not many guys who survive an airplane crash....very few,” said Burnell.
Since then, he’s fought every day to recover. He's spent countless hours in physical therapy, eventually leading the once aspiring airline pilot to walk again. It inspired him to return to his other passion: golf.
That’s where Gary Watkins comes into this story.
“That’s a pretty big blow. A lot of people probably couldn’t handle it,” said Watkins.
While working a part-time job at Safeway, Burnell struck up a conversation centered on the sport with Watkins when he came into the store following a round.
“He told me all about his plane crash and says, 'take me to play golf sometime' and I’m like, 'nah,'” said Watkins. “So after about three or four weeks of this every time going in there, I said, 'well OK.'”
For two years now, they’ve navigated the rough patches of Burnell's life both on and off the course.
“He’s got a very nice heart and he cares about me,” said Burnell.
Burnell can’t drive, so every Friday morning, the 71-year-old picks him up for a round of nine holes at Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club. Watkins helps him out here and there with alignment but enthusiastically admits the kid can play.
“He’s down the middle most of the time. We don’t spend much time looking for golf balls, that’s for sure,” said Watkins.
“Ya, just my putting is so bad sometimes... I go way too fast like I do in relationships,” said Burnell with a smile.
His trademark wit is always able to lighten the mood no matter the score. The moments shared between the two men are priceless.
“I wasn’t thinking that much about it and then after the third or fourth time, his dad comes out and meets me when I go to pick him up and he says, 'Boy you don’t know how grateful we are for you coming by and doing this,'” said Watkins.
Amid the camaraderie and support around the greens, the young man is realizing once again just how much there is to live for.
“I’m just conquering the impossible and pushing forward to the future,” said Burnell.
