Last week, in Kingman, the Woods family were out in their Super Duty, with their kids, playing in the mud, when Ryan came across a mudhole that sunk his 4 ton beast and needed a tow to get out. He called upon a friend he’s known for 20 years. His friend, like many other people across the world, worked with what he had on hand. A chain stretched across both factory front recovery points a 3” static HD tow strap and a drop down hitch with a 2” ball. The first few attempts Failed breaking chains. He backed up a few feet to get a more forceful pull. That turned out to be too much stress and ripped the drop down portion of the hitch off of the truck and flying directly towards Ryans truck smashing through the windshield. The force was so great it bent the steering wheel before ultimately striking Ryan in the face, ending his life. Whenever going out off roading it’s inevitable that someone can get stuck. Use the PROPER recovery gear and NEVER USE A TOW BALL! Also do not use chains or straps that are not designed to be yanked. Soft shackles, KINETIC recovery ropes, Synthetic winch lines, and Safety blankets help minimize risk and when rigged properly prevent damage or injury with the correct safety precautions in place. Proper recovery gear has weight ratings listed on the tags. Do not exceed those weight ratings. I hope this post can educate the public that Tow balls are not for recoveries and people can seriously get hurt and killed!