Rodney Guthmiller is grateful to be back on his feet after a work-related accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury. An over-the-road truck driver, the South Dakotan’s life took an unexpected turn on January 13, 2016. Twelve-hundred miles from home, Rodney fell five feet while preparing to unload his trailer—the back of his head taking the brunt of the fall. Losing consciousness, luckily, his fall didn’t go unnoticed. Paramedics were on the scene within minutes. At the local hospital, doctors determined Rodney suffered a skull fracture and had significant bleeding both in and around his brain. The fall also affected his cervical spine from C3 through C7. Due to the severity of his injuries, Rodney was placed in a medically induced coma and airlifted to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho. Doctors cautioned his brain injury was among the worst they had ever seen. Ruby Guthmiller said the family relied on faith and prayers. “We just surrendered to Jesus.”
Rodney remained in the ICU for two weeks before being transferred to Madonna Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital. Within days, Rodney’s tracheostomy was switched out and eventually removed; he received a vocal collar and started forming words. Through intense therapy and a personal sense of drive, he transitioned quickly to walking, feeding himself, smiling, and telling his wife, “I love you, sweetie,” on their 40th anniversary.
By two weeks, Rodney transferred to acute rehabilitation for longer therapy sessions. There, he continued making significant gains with speech, occupational and physical therapy. He made lasagna for the first time in the Independence Square kitchen, honed his driving skills on Madonna’s driving simulator and practiced getting into and out of an 18-wheeler as part of the TherapyPlus Worker Re-entry Program. Throughout the ordeal, Rodney’s work family provided support when needed, and more importantly, friendship.
Now Back home, Rodney’s kind, soft-spoken attitude has remained as has his faith and his love of family. He works hard to keep his lawn pristine, helps out with his children’s family and their activities and continues to work toward getting his 18-wheeler back out on the road. “I’m trying to support my family and provide for them the best I can. As long as I don’t feel any physical pain, I’m going to keep pressing on and moving forward.”
Rodney Guthmiller – 2016 GOAL Award
