The Connection

Expressions like "Life can turn on a dime" or "In a New York minute" don’t have much gravity until it really happens to you or someone you love …

On the morning of July 23, Tucker Winfrey was a carefree 18-year-old. He had just graduated from high school where he was an accomplished lacrosse player and budding artist. He, along with his family and his girlfriend, Hallie, was enjoying a week at the beach. It’s hard to say what was on his mind when he woke up, but it likely wasn’t more dramatic than what he planned to do later that evening or the next day. Just hours later, the proverbial "dime" turned and Winfrey’s life changed forever.

It happened at the beach. Winfrey and Hallie were in the surf. He decided to dive down and tickle her toes. Winfrey described what happened next as "hitting a wall of sand." He immediately lost feeling in his legs and arms and questioned if he would have enough oxygen to survive as he floated face down in the ocean. Fortunately, he was rescued and revived on the shore.

TIME BLURRED. Winfrey was transported to a regional hospital and then airlifted to Washington Hospital Center in D.C. For the next three weeks, he fought for his life. The fracture of the C4 disk had left him a quadriplegic. Breathing was the big issue. He fought for every breath as his diaphragm muscles, compromised by the paralysis, and his lungs, repeatedly filling with thick mucus-like secretions in response to the salt water he had inhaled, struggled to work. Eventually, a tracheotomy was performed and Winfrey was connected to a ventilator that could breathe for him when he tired. Somehow, through the combination of his own strength and drive, the heroic efforts of his medical team, and the prayers of family and friends, Winfrey emerged from this life-threatening battle and embarked on the next phase of his recovery. Winfrey’s physical condition at this point in time was such that he could not move his arms or his legs.

With the tracheotomy still in place, Winfrey and his mom were transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga. on Aug. 14. Shepherd is a spinal cord rehabilitation center that specializes in working with young people such as Winfrey. He worked daily at rebuilding his body and learning to cope with his new reality. He bravely confronted his first challenge, learning to operate his motorized wheelchair using puffs of air breathed into a straw. The work was harder than anything he had ever had to do. The rewards of physical therapy came slowly. A small muscle twitch was cause to rejoice for it meant that perhaps, just maybe, control of the muscle movement might follow. Winfrey spent 2 1/2 months at Shepherd and will return to Atlanta in January to continue his rehabilitation as an outpatient. To date, Winfrey has been successful in regaining control of some of the large muscle groups in his upper body and is now able to use movement in his shoulder to manually operate his electronic wheelchair. Through daily rehab Winfrey’s strength continues to improve and his arm and shoulder muscles allow him to scratch an itch, use his iPhone, and feed himself with the use of adaptive utensils.

Life therapy is as important as physical therapy. At Shepherd, Winfrey worked on learning how to live with his disability. Without the use of his hands, he had to tackle the once-simple task of feeding himself. Without the use of his legs, Tucker had to brave the outside world and learn to navigate the public transportation system. Each new skill he continues to master helps to build his confidence.

When family and friends first heard about Winfrey’s tragic accident, everyone expected that Winfrey would make a relatively quick and full recovery following the surgical repair of his vertebrae and that he would bounce back on his feet in a matter of a few months’ time. After all, he was young and athletic and in top condition. The reality is that the road back is going to be long and is by no means certain. Winfrey’s journey will be measured in years, not months.

If the tragic events of July 23, were an earthquake, the after-shock continues to reverberate. Now back at home, the family is coming to grips with their looming new financial responsibilities. They have had to undertake major renovations to their home to meet Winfrey’s needs. These have included the conversion of the garage into a first floor bedroom, the addition of a bathroom with special fixtures and sufficient space, the widening of doorways and hallways to accommodate a wheelchair, and the construction of ramps where there once were stairs. Special equipment, such as a hospital bed, a motorized wheelchair, a Hoyer lift, and a shower chair are necessities. A wheelchair accessible van is essential for travel back and forth to therapy and medical appointments. The list continues to grow.

ONE WONDERS whether any good has come from this terrible tragedy. The answer is surely nothing that comes close to offsetting the bad. No one can predict whether or to what extent Winfrey will reclaim his old life. However, Winfrey and his family have found strength that they never knew they had and have developed a bond that they never knew was possible. They have been overwhelmed by the goodness and generosity of the people around them. From close friends and family, to their landlord who allowed them to make major renovations to their home (and generously offered to help pay for those renovations), to Home Depot and Brett Shepherd of Shepherd Construction (Winfrey’s friend and former boss), who underwrote and renovated the house, to Greg Hastings of GW Hastings Contracting, a former neighbor and general contractor, to the Shepherd Center that provided Winfrey with a scholarship to extend his stay when the insurance money ran out, to those who have stepped up to share their experiences and encouragement, the community has rallied to lend its support. It is a blessing to know that Winfrey has the support of his friends and community as he continues along the road to recovery.

The family deeply appreciates the spiritual and financial support that it has received from everyone. So many have asked how they can help. The family asks that you continue to pray for the power of God’s healing hand. For those wishing to make a donation, a trust has been established and more information about that is available on the website: Tuckersteam.com

Thank you for your many blessings, and continue to follow Winfrey’s progress on http://m.caringbridge.org/visit/tuckerwinfrey/journal/entry/page/1/num/1