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Jessamine County Tourism Director Mitchell Pearson is recovering after being severely injured in a farm accident.

Late Sunday night, a post on Pearson’s Facebook page by Nick Rabold and the Rabold-Pearson family said Pearson “nearly lost his life” and was “originally designated an amputee.”

“By the grace of God, Mitchell is alive and has not lost any limbs,” the post said.

According to the Facebook post, Pearson is currently in the acute care center of the University of Kentucky’s Albert B. Chandler Hospital, and reconstructive surgery was scheduled for Tuesday. The accident occurred June 25

The Journal was not able to reach a a family member or Pearson’s nurse by press time.

The post expressed gratitude to those at the hospital who cared for Pearson and asked that people keep him in their thoughts and prayers.

“We have a long road ahead, but Mitchell is in high spirits and on the path to recovery,” Rabold said.

Mona Ostendorf, chair of the Tourism Commission, said the accident happened on Pearson’s parents’ farm and involved an auger and injured a leg and his groin.

“He was lucky that he didn’t lose his leg,” she said.

He will have to have a skin graft, she said.

Ostendorf said Pearson is in the board members’ thoughts and prayers.

The tourism board later sent the Journal a statement expressing care for Pearson, and said that he would be off work for an extended period of time, and the board “is currently working on the appropriate steps in handling all tourism matters.”

“We’re praying for him and wish him a speedy recovery,” Nicholasville City Commissioner Alex Carter said.

Pearson became executive director of the Nicholasville-Wilmore-Jessamine County Joint Tourism Commission in April 2018.

A graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation administration, he previously worked for the Kentucky Horse Park, Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill and was Prestonsburg’s tourism director.