Patrick Lawler’s Toothache: The Shocking Nail Gun Accident

In January 2004, Patrick Lawler, a 23-year-old construction worker from Breckenridge, Colorado, walked into a dental office with a toothache that just wouldn’t quit. For six days, he’d been dealing with pain in his mouth and blurry vision, trying everything from ice cream to painkillers to ease the discomfort. When the dentist took an X-ray, the truth came out in a way no one expected: a four-inch nail was lodged in the roof of Patrick’s mouth, stretching into his skull. Days earlier, a nail gun had backfired on a construction site, and while Patrick thought he’d only taken a minor hit, a second nail had shot into his mouth without him realizing it. This is the incredible story of Patrick Lawler’s nail gun accident, a tale of survival, luck, and the surprising dangers of everyday tools.

A Typical Day on the Job

Patrick Lawler was a young man living a hardworking life in Breckenridge, a ski resort town in the Colorado mountains. As a construction worker, he spent his days building custom homes in the area’s scenic, snowy landscape. On January 6, 2004, he was on a job site, using a pneumatic nail gun—a common tool that fires nails into wood with high-powered force. It was a cold winter day, and Patrick was focused on his work, unaware that a split-second mistake would change his life.

Nail guns are powerful machines, often compared to firearms because of their speed and strength. They’re designed to make construction faster, but they can be dangerous if something goes wrong. That day, something did go wrong. While Patrick was operating the nail gun, it backfired, recoiling with a jolt. He felt a sharp pain in his mouth, like he’d been punched or hit with the tool. One nail shot into a nearby piece of wood, and Patrick assumed that was the only damage. He shook off the incident, thinking he’d just bruised his face or chipped a tooth.

Six Days of Mystery Pain

After the accident, Patrick started noticing odd symptoms. His mouth hurt, especially around his upper jaw, and he developed a nagging toothache. He also had blurry vision, which made it hard to see clearly. At first, he didn’t think much of it. Construction work is tough, and bumps and bruises are part of the job. He figured he’d taken a harder hit than he realized and that the pain would go away on its own.

To ease the swelling, Patrick tried eating ice cream and taking over-the-counter painkillers like Advil. His wife, Katerina, who worked at a dental office, noticed he was struggling but didn’t suspect anything serious. For six days, Patrick went about his life, working and resting at his home on Peak 7, north of Breckenridge. He even ate meals and drank coffee, all while the source of his pain remained hidden. According to his sister, Lisa Metcalse, Patrick had no idea a second nail had shot through his lip and lodged in his skull during the nail gun accident.

The Dentist Visit That Changed Everything

By January 12, 2004, Patrick’s toothache was unbearable. The painkillers weren’t helping, and the blurry vision was getting worse. Reluctantly, he decided to visit the dental office where Katerina worked. He wasn’t thrilled about the visit—Patrick didn’t have health insurance, and medical bills were a big worry. But the pain was too much to ignore, so he went in for a checkup.

The dentist, a friend of the couple, took an X-ray of Patrick’s mouth to find the cause of the toothache. When the results came back, the room fell silent. The X-ray showed a four-inch nail stretching from the roof of Patrick’s mouth, through his upper lip, and 1.5 inches into his brain. The nail had narrowly missed his right eye by millimeters. At first, Patrick and Katerina thought the dentist was joking. “We’re all friends, so I thought they were kidding,” Katerina later said. But the doctor’s serious face confirmed the truth: “There’s really a nail.”

Patrick was stunned. The X-ray was like something out of a horror movie, showing the long, metal nail embedded in his skull. He later recalled the moment it all clicked: the nail gun had backfired, flipped 180 degrees, and fired a second nail through his lip. For six days, he’d been walking around with a life-threatening injury, completely unaware.

A Race to Save His Life

The discovery sent Patrick and Katerina into a panic. He was rushed to Littleton Adventist Hospital in suburban Denver for emergency surgery. The nail’s position was terrifying—it had pierced his brain, stopping just short of critical areas. A millimeter in any direction could have blinded him, caused permanent brain damage, or even killed him. Neurosurgeon Dr. Sean Markey, who led the operation, noted that this was only the second time the hospital had seen such an injury, calling it “pretty rare.”

The surgery lasted four hours. Doctors carefully removed the nail by pulling it out through the same path it had entered, minimizing damage to Patrick’s brain and tissues. The procedure was risky—any mistake could have led to severe complications. Patrick needed 150 stitches in his scalp and 25 to 30 more in his mouth to close the wounds. Despite the danger, the surgery was a success, and Patrick was moved to recovery, where he would spend several days in the hospital.

How Could He Not Know?

One of the most shocking parts of Patrick Lawler’s nail gun accident is that he didn’t realize he was injured for six days. How could someone have a four-inch nail in their skull and not know it? Experts say it’s rare but possible. When a nail gun fires, it drives the nail with such force that it can seal the wound as it enters, causing little to no bleeding. This is similar to how a straw doesn’t leak when a nail is driven through it. In Patrick’s case, the nail’s entry through his lip and mouth didn’t cause obvious external damage, so he mistook the pain for a toothache.

The brain itself doesn’t have pain receptors, so the nail’s presence in his skull didn’t trigger sharp pain. Instead, Patrick felt discomfort in his mouth and face, which he attributed to a minor injury. His blurry vision was a clue that something was seriously wrong, but without the X-ray, he might never have known the truth in time. Stories like Patrick’s show how the human body can sometimes mask even the most dangerous injuries.

The Aftermath and Recovery

After the surgery, Patrick faced a long road to recovery. He was in good spirits, cracking jokes about getting a nail tattooed on his face and posing with the extracted nail for photos. But the ordeal wasn’t over. He needed heavy doses of antibiotics, delivered through a tube in his arm, to prevent infection. To manage headaches, he drank large amounts of caffeine, including Starbucks coffee and Mountain Dew. The physical toll was significant, but the financial burden was even heavier.

Without health insurance, Patrick’s hospital bills were estimated at $80,000 to $100,000. For a young construction worker, this was a crushing amount. His family set up a donation fund through Colorado Business Bank of Littleton to help cover the costs, and the public’s response was overwhelming. Patrick’s story had gone viral, appearing in newspapers, TV news, and even international media. People from around the world sent money to support his recovery, touched by his incredible survival.

A Brush with Fame

Patrick Lawler’s nail gun accident turned him into an unexpected celebrity. Talk shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show invited him to share his story. He appeared on The Today Show on January 18, 2005, and did a live interview with Dennis Miller. Patrick found the attention surreal, saying, “I live a pretty average life. As far as being a celebrity, I’m not.” He was grateful for the publicity, though, because it helped raise funds to pay his medical bills.

During interviews, hosts often asked the same questions: How did it happen? How could you not know? Patrick explained the nail gun accident with a mix of humor and humility, admitting he’d been working “under the table” for a friend at the time, which complicated his legal situation. He and Katerina planned to frame the X-rays, CT scans, and the nail itself as a memento of his survival, hanging them in their living room as a conversation piece.

A Wake-Up Call for Safety

Patrick’s accident highlighted the dangers of nail guns, which are responsible for thousands of injuries every year. According to safety experts, many of these incidents happen because workers don’t use the tools properly or bypass safety features. Nail guns have a contact trigger that requires the nose to touch the surface before firing, but accidents can still occur if the gun recoils or is mishandled. Patrick’s case was a stark reminder that even experienced workers can face life-threatening risks on the job.

After the accident, Patrick wasn’t sure he wanted to return to construction. “It definitely makes one think about a profession change,” he told reporters. He jokingly suggested switching to making pizzas or using a smaller nail gun—or maybe just sticking to hammers. His story prompted discussions about workplace safety and the need for better training and equipment to prevent similar accidents.

Why Patrick’s Story Matters

Patrick Lawler’s nail gun accident is more than just a shocking medical tale—it’s a story of human resilience and the unpredictability of life. His survival was a matter of luck, as doctors called him “the luckiest guy ever.” A slight shift in the nail’s path could have ended his life, but instead, he walked away with a story that captivated the world. His experience also sheds light on bigger issues, like the risks of construction work, the importance of workplace safety, and the challenges of navigating healthcare without insurance.

At Phacts, we’re fascinated by stories like Patrick’s because they reveal the extraordinary moments hidden in ordinary lives. His tale reminds us to pay attention to our bodies, take safety seriously, and appreciate the medical advances that can save lives in the most unexpected situations. It’s a story that makes you gasp, laugh, and reflect all at once.

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