Sheila Copley recalls waking up to sunny, blue skies the day her life forever changed. On Sept. 1, 2018, her husband, Arlyn, was piloting their six-seater Cessna, transporting Sheila and their two youngest children, 4 and 8, to their 15-year-old son’s cross-country track meet. Shortly after takeoff at the airport in Crete, Nebraska, the plane’s engine cut out and Arlyn made an abrupt emergency landing in a cornfield. Their bodies bounced around, but safety harnesses did their job and kept everyone in the seats. The shock of the accident startled the children, who were crying, but uninjured.
After calling 911 for help, a helicopter flew Sheila and Arlyn to Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, where doctors determined they both sustained spinal cord injuries. Arlyn was diagnosed as an incomplete injury and predicted to walk again. Sheila had crushed her T-12 spinal vertebra, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.
Following a week of surgery and healing, the couple admitted to adjacent rooms at Madonna, eager to start their rehab. Sheila, a physical therapy assistant (PTA), had worked for the hospital years ago. “We had a choice and I knew this is where we wanted to go,” Sheila said, realizing the hard work that lay ahead. The couple, married 20 years, have full-time jobs, four children and a busy life in Denton, Nebraska.
“My goal from the beginning was to be independent,” Sheila said. Being thrust into patient mode was a role reversal for Sheila, but she quickly built trust with her team and met every challenge. Through months of therapy, her core muscles grew stronger, boosting her physical and emotional confidence Sheila mastered her wheelchair, self-transfers and adopted new techniques for cooking and laundry. Sessions using the Interactive Driving Simulator gauged her reaction time and helped Sheila pass her driving evaluation. In the Work Re-Entry Program, Sheila practiced her PTA skills, role-playing with her care team as patients, to ensure a smooth return to the job she loves.
Sheila was honored by her team with a Spirit Award for her courageous recovery. Sheila’s positivity during recovery is a reflection of her belief in God. “I leaned on him so much; I feel so blessed,” she said. “I know he took care of us that day.” Resuming her life roles has been a tough, but rewarding journey. The young wife and mother returned to her career, cheers her kids on at their activities and lives life fully. “I wanted to get back to all that stuff—get back on the horse!” Sheila says, smiling.
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