Getting Back At It

During the summer of 2021, then 14-year-old Jesse crushed his C5 vertebrae and nearly drowned after diving into a 4-foot pool.

Before arriving at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia for spinal cord injury (SCI) intensive rehabilitation, he was told that he might never walk again. After much research, his family chose Shriners Children’s Philadelphia because of its reputation for comprehensive specialized care. They also felt strongly that having other young people around him would help Jesse’s morale and drive him to do his best during therapy.

Jesse spent the remainder of the summer in the Philadelphia hospital’s specialty spinal cord injury rehabilitation program. His care team created an inclusive plan that would build up his ability, confidence and independence.

“We cannot say enough positive things about Shriners Children’s Philadelphia,” said Jesse’s mother Stephanie. “They handled all of his physical needs, of course, but they also took care of everything else by supporting his mental and emotional health.”

Stephanie was also impressed by the different types of support she and her family received during Jesse’s stay and how well the staff prepared them to return home after he was discharged. “They made sure we had emotional support as well,” she said. “They allowed us to decorate his room and bring his favorite blankets and food from home. They trained us thoroughly in his care for when he came home and made sure we had all the equipment we needed.”

In less than two months, Jesse used forearm crutches to walk out of the hospital to his family’s car. This experience alone was far more than Jesse ever expected when he first came to the hospital. “When I first came to Shriners Children’s, I could barely move my left leg or toes, and I really didn’t think that I would walk again,” he said. “But the amazing staff at Shriners Children’s pushed me, believed in me and made me believe in myself. And after about six weeks, I could walk again.”