Dad-to-be survives terrifying encounter with a tree at baby sex reveal party

— -- A Pennsylvania man is recovering from injuries he suffered after a tree crashed on top of him moments after balloons revealed his baby's sex.

Zack Muellerleile, 23, and his pregnant wife, Joscelyn Muellerleile, 23, residents of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, hosted a party on July 1 to announce the sex of their baby. As he was celebrating with family and friends, Zack Muellerleile said a tree on his property fell on his legs, causing him to break his ankle and fibula bone.

"We were literally standing underneath the tree playing a game and my father-in-law heard something crack and he yelled, 'Run!'" Zack Muellerleile told ABC News. "I couldn't get out of the way fast enough. It kind of knocked me down and it landed on both my legs. It's not the way I planned on the day going."

Zack Muellerleile said his father and family members sawed through the thick tree limb to free him.

"I was sitting under a tent with my family and I just heard this awful, deafening, cracking noise and looked up and thought it was thundering. The next thing I know, the tree is literally laying in the yard," Joscelyn Muellerleile recalled. "The weight of the tree was so heavy that we were trying to jack it up and get it off of him."

She said the old maple tree also hit her brother-in-law's Jeep.

"I was hoping that no one was going to die and that Zack was going to be OK," Joscelyn Muellerleile added. "I didn't know if he was going to be paralyzed or what would happen from the injuries, but we have a miracle and we are happy that he's here to see our little boy."

Zack Muellerleile was treated at Excela Health Westmoreland hospital in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He and his wife are calling the incident a "freak accident" and are hoping he will recover in time for the birth of their son, who is due to arrive Nov. 19.

Zack Muellerleile plans on sharing the ironic story with his son in the future.