Professional golfer Josh Fosdick is sharing his inspiring recovery story after surviving a harrowing fall that left him severely injured last October. Fosdick, who plunged 20 feet into a drainage pipe, spent months in the hospital and had to relearn how to walk. Now, he’s not only back to doing what he loves but also aiming for a significant goal in his career.
The Fall and the Recovery Journey
In October 2025, Fosdick and a friend were returning from a golf trip to Tulsa when they became stuck in traffic on I-44 near Chandler, Oklahoma. Needing to use the restroom, Fosdick got out of their truck and walked away. Unfortunately, it was dark, and moments later, Fosdick fell into an open drainage pipe, dropping 20 feet.
Firefighters took several hours to rescue him after his friend found him. Fosdick spent the next few months recovering in the hospital, with his legs kept straight and immobilized. “I’m not going to lie, when you lay around for ten weeks with your legs dead straight, it’s crazy how quickly you forget how to walk,” Fosdick said.
Mental and Physical Struggles
During his recovery, Fosdick found himself relying heavily on others. The mental side of recovery proved to be the toughest challenge. “I spent weeks thinking, how hard is it going to be to walk? You did it for 50 years of your life. Surely you can walk. Well, you can’t walk,” he shared.
Despite these struggles, Fosdick was surrounded by support, including physical therapist Shane Sims, who helped push him to recover faster. “He is a workhorse. So, he pushes me really hard. I attribute a lot of how quickly I have recovered to his program,” Fosdick explained.
Back to Golf and a New Goal
Now, Fosdick is walking again and has even returned to hitting golf balls. “It’s a little bit different. The feelings are a little bit different,” he said. His recovery journey hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his passion for golf, and he’s more determined than ever to achieve his dream of playing in the Section Championship.
While bedridden, Fosdick didn’t give up on his goal. He took his PGA status test and is now working even harder to earn his chance to compete in one of his biggest goals: playing in the U.S. Senior Open. “What I’m shooting for is I hope to be standing on that tee across the street next year at the US Senior Open,” Fosdick said.
Support and Gratitude
Reflecting on his recovery, Fosdick is deeply grateful for the outpouring of support he’s received. “The love, the prayers, the thoughts, and the communication from everybody was another driving factor,” he said. “I’ll never forget how this journey has been. It has been pretty powerful.”
The US Senior Open at Oak Tree National
Fosdick’s ultimate goal is to compete in the U.S. Senior Open at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Oklahoma, which will be hosted next July. If his recovery continues as planned, he hopes to be on the course, competing in one of the biggest tournaments of his career.
