PANOLA COUNTY, Miss. - The sheriff of Panola County, Mississippi, passed along words of gratitude Thursday, a day after a tree fell on him and broke his back.

Panola County Sheriff Shane Phelps said he was attempting to move a deer stand in the woods Wednesday evening when a large, rotted pine tree fell and hit him in the head. The tree knocked him unconscious, and his wife and son rushed him to the hospital, according to the sheriff.

Phelps said that CT scans revealed he broke his back at T3 and T4.

"I will meet with a neurosurgeon (Thursday) morning to decide the best method of fixing this issue. I am and will continue to be available to any and all situations that may arise in our county. I greatly appreciate the concern and your prayers. This could have been a much worse situation,

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