Clay B.’s Story

Clay is a homebound senior student who was involved in a tragic car accident in August of 2021. Who at the age of 18 suffered devastating injuries because of being injected out of a car at a high speed. Doctors stated, Clay may never walk, or talk again, and that he was not showing any brain activities nor was he showing any signs of feeling or movement in his upper and his lower extremities. Clay was on life support for several weeks with very little improvement or signs of life. As the time came to weaning him off the ventilator and decreasing sedation medications, he started showing signs of movement but could not rule out them to just being involuntary movement from the paralytic drugs. He was diagnosed as quadriplegic with severe TBI. In which later was determent to incomplete quad and able to follow few commands with eye movement and hand squeezing. His early on drive, positive attitude and determination continues to prove them wrong. Clay has always been very athletic and willing, and although he does not remember the accident or anything prior to that day, he continues to push through and go above and beyond measure to gain his independence back.

As he approaches a year in Aug., we continue to watch him gain a little more independence every day. However, due to his large number of injuries it is taking more time than others, and it requires more advance equipment to help in his growth. He still has a dream to go to college to be a lineman and a goal to graduate from school and be able to cut grass again and to ride his four-wheeler. There are days that Clay can be on top of things and his memory fires off as normal. Then there are days like we are starting over with, why he is like he is and why can’t I walk, or he will say, “I can walk”. Do you want to watch me get up and walk? As he has those moments of frustration, he will typical will end it with a smile and says, “Well maybe I can’t do it right now,” as he smile’s real big.

He wants to do so many things and if it was not for special rehabs like, back to independence rehab, aquatic therapy we would not have the chance to see him walk for the first time while push an object under water on his own. It looked as if nothing was wrong with him. To see him do that and know he cannot even sit up on his own, gives us all hope and is very encouraging. Clay has pushed through so much with the best attitude, and smile on his face. Even when he gets frustrated, he ends up finding the good in the bad. Clay lives in the moment and he has such a great comical personality, but because his TBI he repeats himself a lot and we find he relives the same day and conversations over and over. And when he does not have therapy or any appointments he just wants to lay around and sleep, so ongoing therapy is one of the reasons he keeps going.

This grant would mean the world to me as a mother and to rest of the family. We watch the progress and his determination to get back his independence, and it leads to seeking other appropriate opportunities on new levels that helps us help him. This grant would help us advance his mobility, and more appropriate equipment that suits his present needs. This opportunity also gives us as a family the privilege to watch him smile and enjoy doing things that he loved to do before the accident which includes being in the water and working out on training equipment like, treadmills, bicycling, climbing etc. We have found that insurance only allows so much and the service he gets at this time is appropriate to some degree, but due to their lack or resources to fit his needs we must seek out self-pay opportunities that fits his type of injury needs. His current therapist advises and pushes for more opportunities because they see so much potential in growth and because he is so young. Also, if I may add, we as a family, feel we get as must benefit from the training and experience as the clients do. It’s always great to see and hear other professionals educated/ knowledge on clays situation. For, As Clay continues to progress, we find other struggles that requires staying active in a rehab, but without insurance support for intense rehabilitation, it makes it hard to do so. This grant would take a load off the family in many ways. Therefore, this grant would allow my family and I be able to learn and watch Clay gain his independence without having to get loans or work 2 jobs while providing daily total care for Clay.