In the summer of 2016, Emily returned home to Ireton, Iowa, after completing her freshman year at Iowa State University. Emily’s life derailed in early June when she was ejected from the backseat of a car in an accident causing trauma to both her brain and spinal cord. Emily spent 18 days in a medically induced coma at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City. Unable to breathe on her own, she arrived at Madonna’s Lincoln Campus completely unresponsive, only occasionally tracking movement with her eyes. Emily’s care team worked with her to wean off the ventilator and sit up independently.
Through hard work and determination, Emily made substantial progress both mentally and physically over her first two months at Madonna. She improved enough to drive a power wheelchair with her left hand, but still needed extensive help in most aspects of daily life.
The primary therapy goal for Emily was to walk up the aisle as a bridesmaid in her brother’s wedding. Emily rebuilt muscle in her legs, arms and core by walking in the Madonna’s warm-water therapy pool and using specialized technology like the Lokomat to help with gait retraining. and graduating to the platform walker. Through countless hours of intense therapy, her walking progress soared and she became nearly totally self-sufficient in time for her brother’s big day in November.
Emily is now back at Iowa State, living with friends and walking more than a mile to and from campus every day. Through relentless drive and perseverance, she has achieved a level of independence once thought impossible less than two years ago.
