 Hometown:
Woburn, MA
Injury Date: March 1,
1986
Diagnosis: C3-4-5 Incomplete
Tim's Story:
It was a cold and icy day on March 1, 1986. Tim,
a 17 year old senior, was enjoying a typical day
with friends playing street hockey and planning
on going to a high school hockey game, when tragedy
struck unexpectedly. Tim was a passenger in a friend’s
car which was speeding on slick road conditions.
Tim’s friend hit a patch of ice which careened
into a fire hydrant and then hit a tree splitting
the car in half.
Tim who was unconscious was taken to the local
hospital, but was then transferred to Children’s
Hospital in Boston. A month later, he was moved
again to University Hospital (now Boston Medical).
During the first few days in the hospital Tim
was able to move body parts below the neck, then
secondary injuries kicked in and he lost all motor
control below the neck. Tim was diagnosed as a
C3-4-5 spinal cord injury. When Tim regained consciousness,
he was on a respirator and unable to move anything
below his neck. His doctors told him he had zero
chance of ever moving anything below his neck,
and would be on a respirator for the rest of his
life.
Over the last 22 years Tim has beaten his doctors
odd’s. He has been active in his rehabilitation
since his injury now over two decades ago. Following
his time in the hospital he attended outpatient
therapy at NE rehab in Woburn, MA. He has also
participated in a biofeedback program in Miami
which he had done for five years for two months
at a time.
Tim knew he needed more and found out about Journey
Forward through the internet. He has been with
Journey Forward since our opening and he feels
it is one of the most progressive therapies for
spinal cord injury, as well as being a more intense
and individually focused centers for SCI. Tim
is hoping Journey Forward will assist him in maximizing
his potential. He is actively working to stand
and walk independently and regain as much independence
as possible.
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