WESTBROOK – Despite a small setback, well-known Westbrook resident and business owner James Tranchemontagne has been inspired by well-wishers and a loving family following an accident that left him with a broken leg and fractured vertebrae.

Over the phone Tuesday, the laid-up Tranchemontagne said he’s recuperating slowly following his fall from a tree on Sept. 16, a process that has included complications such as clotting in his leg, which resulted in a brief return trip to the emergency room last week.

“That was more painful than the actual injuries,” he said, adding that the seven-hour ER visit and resulting medication has worked toward his recovery. “I can move around the house pretty well, everything gets better and better.”

Two weeks ago, Tranchemontagne was doing yard work at his family’s new home in Westbrook, attempting to pull a dead limb from a large tree on his property. He said that after he climbed the tree, a branch gave way. He fell 10-12 feet. Tranchemontagne landed straight up, breaking his right femur near his hip, and suffering two compression fractures in his lumbar 1 and lumbar 2 vertebrae.

Since that time, he and his business, the Frog & Turtle restaurant on Bridge Street, have been inundated with get-well cards and visits from friends and other members of the community.

“The support from the community has been unreal,” he said. “One thing you can always tell about this town, is that when something bad happens to someone, the town always rallies the support.”

He also said that his wife, Heidi, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, has been “amazing” following the accident.

Tranchemontagne said he’s looking at about 12 weeks wearing a back brace. The hardest part is being away from his business.

“I’ve been getting texts and emails saying, ‘The place isn’t the same without you there, but we just want you to know that your staff is doing awesome, and don’t worry about it,’” he said.

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