GRAYSON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Tristan and Taylor Pharis may seem like opposites, but their brotherly connection runs deep.
"I'm the white-collar guy, and he is the blue-collar guy. He is the total opposite. People don't think we are brothers," Tristan Pharis said.
Despite their differences, Tristan has nothing but admiration for his brother's dedication to his wife and three children. This winter, Taylor has been plowing the roads.
"He's a hustler. He tries to work and make ends meet any way he can," Tristan said.
The winter of 2026 brought particularly challenging conditions across Kentucky, with repeated cycles of snow, ice, and refreezing creating treacherous road conditions.
"Here it was like snow, then it froze, then it snow, then that frozen, then that melted. It just keeps refreezing," Tristan said.
On January 28, those dangerous winter conditions changed everything for the Pharis family. Taylor was plowing the Western Kentucky Parkway in Leitchfield when he was involved in a crash with a semi truck. The impact was severe enough that Taylor had to be airlifted to the University of Louisville Hospital Trauma Center with life-threatening injuries.
"He didn't even see the truck coming. You get a call that he was in a serious accident. If it could been any different. We could have had a wife and three kids without a father," Tristan said.
Even in his most vulnerable moments, Taylor's first thoughts weren't about his own condition but about his family's future.
"One of his first words when he woke up was he thought he was going to lose his house," Tristan said.
Taylor has remained hospitalized since the crash but is stable. There is no timeline for when he will be able to return to work and support his family.
The accident has served as a stark reminder of how quickly life can change.
"In a blink of an eye, life can change. It's said too many of times, but when it hits home. It's even more true," Tristan said.
Through this difficult time, the brothers have discovered that their bond has only grown stronger.
"As much as we loved each other before this. It's obviously when you're that close to somebody that only makes that bond stronger," Tristan said.
Tristan has set up a GoFundMe page if you would like to help his family, and a P.O. Box if you would like to write a letter of encouragement. The address is PO Box 87, Leitchfield, KY 42754.
