In Good Hands: Meet Jackson Drum and His Care Team

A formidable hockey player, Jackson Drum knows a thing or two about teamwork. 

“To me, teamwork is working to build a good environment,” he says. “If you have that really good environment, where everyone is there to have fun and work hard, it’s a lot better than being just one person. You’re all trying to uplift each other.” 

He’s made use of his experience as a team player — as well as his impressive work ethic, infectious positive energy, and sense of humor (not to mention sarcasm) — throughout his spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation at Shepherd. 

Jackson sustained a C1-C2 SCI during a hockey game in February. Originally from Minnesota, Jackson had been attending boarding school in Idaho — Coeur d'Alene Hockey Academy, known for its prestigious hockey program. 

“What I really like about hockey is the physicality, and my teammates and coaches,” he says. “The atmosphere playing at the prep school is a lot of fun — everyone is there to [take the game seriously].” 

The team was playing a match in Vancouver, British Columbia, when Jackson had an awkward collision into the boards. Emergency responders rushed him to the hospital, where he had emergency surgery. Then, through the help of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, he made his way to Shepherd. 

After months of navigating complex medical challenges, from feeding issues to getting weaned off the ventilator, Jackson started reaching milestones. He celebrated his 18th birthday. He came off the ventilator. He started going on outings with other adolescents on his floor. He had his first therapy session in Shepherd’s pool. He got a moment in the spotlight in Project Rollway, presenting the hospital’s chief executive officer, Jamie Shepherd, and hospital co-founder Alana Shepherd, with special edition Nike Air Force 1s. He cheered on participants in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, and even got in on the excitement by taking his powerchair down to the Arthur M. Blank family residences to see his mom and sisters. 

In the therapy gym, Jackson’s been pouring the same level of passion he has for hockey into his recovery — walking with the Zero G, building up his arm strength, and cuddling with the facility dogs any chance he can get. He says none of it would be possible without his care team — a small army of nurses, doctors, therapists, and other specialists with over 115 years of combined experience at Shepherd alone. 

“Working with the team here — it’s almost like hockey,” Jackson says. “They’re all uplifting, they’ve all created a good atmosphere, and they all want the best for you.” 

Meet Jackson’s Team*

*including the nicknames they've earned from Jackson and the Shepherd community

Erica Drum 
“97's #1 Fan”

Role: Caregiver 
Jackson’s mom, Erica, has been by his side throughout his recovery. During his time at Shepherd, she’s stayed in the Blank Family Residences — while sometimes spending the night in Jackson’s hospital room when he’s had a particularly hard day. She hasn’t been intimidated by the medical side of Jackson’s care. Instead, she’s learned as much as she can from his team and in Shepherd’s extensive family training, while also keeping Jackson’s hockey community up to date on his progress through the Facebook page: 97’s Journey. 

Jason Drum 
“The Jack of All Trades”

Role: Caregiver 
Jackson’s dad, Jason, has been at Shepherd for several of Jackson’s recovery milestones, like his 18th birthday and his first time getting in the pool. But when he’s not at Shepherd, Jason has been holding down the fort at the Drum household in Minnesota, taking care of Jackson’s three younger sisters and managing their busy schedules. He’s also started working on accessibility improvements to their house — including widened doorways, wheelchair ramps, and improved temperature control — so it’s ready for Jackson’s return this fall. 

Katie Beck, RN 
“The Protector”

Years at Shepherd: 3 
Role: Nurse 
Katie works closely with patients, nurse practitioners, and doctors, ensuring patients have their needs are met. She looks out for Jackson, making sure during shift change that incoming nurses know what makes him comfortable, any issues he’s had that day, and his personality quirks (for example, Jackson is a very, very hard sleeper). As Jackson’s medical challenges eased, she prepared him for more days in the therapy gym, and fewer days in his room. “I told him, ‘You’ll see less of me, and that’s a good thing,’” she says. 

Avery Blankenburg, MS, CTRS 
“The Adventurer”

Years at Shepherd: 4 
Role: Recreation Therapist 
As a recreation therapist, Avery helps patients get back to the things they love and return to their communities with confidence, and she has big plans for Jackson. Since he arrived at Shepherd, he’s been on many outings, like going to Target for new pajamas or going to Onward Reserve to pick out his Project Rollway outfit. Avery has also organized bigger outings with Jackson, like a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. Soon, Avery plans to do travel education with him, so he’s prepared for his trip back home to Minnesota. 

Wes Chay, M.D. 
“The Game Planner”

Years at Shepherd: 8 
Role: Physiatrist 
Dr. Chay’s interest in medicine began early, inspired by visits to his grandfather’s OB-GYN practice in Taiwan. Now, as the physiatrist on Jackson’s team, he leads the interdisciplinary group in navigating complex medical challenges. Working closely with Artica Jackson, NP, he evaluates patients, guides diagnostic workup and treatment, and coordinates with consultants for care at Shepherd Center or surgeries next door at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. Beyond problem-solving, Dr. Chay helps make sure Jackson has what he needs to succeed in therapy, collaborating with the rehabilitation team on any medical issues that might impact daily sessions.

Martha DeReimer, RRT 
“The Advocate”

Years at Shepherd: 3 (non-consecutive) 
Role: Respiratory Therapist 
Martha became a respiratory therapist because of an experience at Shepherd — her mom and sister both worked at the hospital, and she got an opportunity to shadow RTs on patient floors. Right away, she was hooked. Now, Martha helps patients like Jackson with breathing, and if appropriate, ventilator weaning. She knows coming off a ventilator can be anxiety-inducing, which is why she takes into account individual patient needs and preferences to tailor treatment to them, even if that means adjusting the pace of vent weaning. 

Deb Eldred, SLP 
“Derb”

Years at Shepherd: 17 
Role: Speech-Language Pathologist 
Deb met Jackson on his second day at Shepherd, when he was still in the Intensive Care Unit. As a speech-language pathologist, she helps with more than speaking — she also supports patients with eating, drinking, and cognitive challenges they may face when communicating or writing. She’s worked with Jackson to navigate speaking both on and off his ventilator, and she organized one of his first Shepherd outings to Shake Shack, so Jackson could have his first milkshake since his injury. 

Shannon Grizzle, LCSW, CCM 
“The Coordinator”

Years at Shepherd: 3 
Role: Case Manager 
Shannon has used her master’s in social work across the medical field — working as a therapist in adult psychiatry units, an emergency room crisis worker, and as a medical case manager. Out of everywhere she’s been, she says Shepherd Center is the most person-centered, something she loves. She has worked closely with Jackson and his family, from helping them get settled in upon admission through planning for discharge. She’s especially enjoyed working with Jackson’s mom, Erica. “Through it all, his mom has been the most positive person. She’s such a joy to work with,” she says. 

Artica Jackson, NP 
“Antartica”

Years at Shepherd: 13 
Role: Advanced Practice Provider 
After working as a night shift nurse for 15 years, Artica started her role as a nurse practitioner on the same floor. Working closely with Dr. Chay, she manages patients’ medical needs. Sometimes patients will call her “Dr. Jackson,” but she cautions that she’s a nurse practitioner, not an M.D. The main difference? “Many years of schooling!” she says with a laugh. When she’s not setting up appointments with specialists and reviewing medication lists, she’s probably joking around with patients or dreaming up the perfect prank... watch out, Jackson! 

Kelsey Lee, OT 
“Special K”

Years at Shepherd: 7 
Role: Occupational Therapist 
Kelsey helps patients perform daily activities like taking a shower or brushing their teeth, while also getting them back to the things they enjoy, in Jackson’s case, hockey. Like Jackson, she hails from the Midwest, resulting in a lot of sarcasm and “tough love” in therapy sessions, she says. One of her favorite parts of her job is collaborating with the other professionals on her floor. “One of the coolest parts of Shepherd is that you work on a team ... it's not always like that in other settings,” she says. “Being able to talk through some medical stuff with speech, with PT, with Dr. Chay, just to learn more about what was going on with Jackson, was really helpful.” 

Cheryl Linden, MA, LPC;MS, OT/L 
“The Supporter”

Years at Shepherd: 37 
Role: Counselor 
Cheryl started at Shepherd as an occupational therapist, but now, she offers a different kind of support for patients. As a counselor, Cheryl helps patients and families navigate emotional and mental health challenges after injury or illness. Counselors at Shepherd are a key part of the team — every patient meets with a psychologist, which Cheryl says can reduce stigma and aid in navigating mental health concerns during recovery. Cheryl also serves as the emcee for Project Rollway, where she told the audience Jackson’s story as he enjoyed the spotlight. 

Chris Ready, PT 
“The Workout Partner”

Years at Shepherd: 10 
Role: Physical Therapist 
Because of medical complications, Jackson has had some hard days at Shepherd. But once those complications were out of his way, Jackson was ready to hit the gym with his PT, Chris, as his sidekick. As a physical therapist, Chris helps patients independently get from point A to point B, whether that’s transferring from a wheelchair to a car or safely using a walker to get around. But as a PT in the adolescent program, he also knows sometimes that kids need to be kids — whether that’s just doing a workout in the gym or hanging out with other teens on the floor. 

Kelsey Shearman, Ph.D. 
“The Teacher”

Years at Shepherd: 7 
Role: Academic Coordinator 
As Jackson started his rehabilitation at Shepherd, he also had non-medical challenges to face, like Algebra 2. Kelsey worked with Jackson, like she does with other adolescent patients, to ensure he stayed on top of his schoolwork while recovering from his injury. She also serves as a liaison between Jackson, his parents, and his school, keeping an open line of communication. She helps students avoid potential snags by arranging accommodations with their schools, like obtaining an extension for Jackson to wrap up his algebra class despite missing several weeks of instruction. 

Julie Shepherd, CCM, CLCP, LMSW 
“Jules”

Years at Shepherd: 16 
Role: Director of Founding Family Relations & Canine Therapy Program Lead 
Julie leads the hospital’s facility dog program, which boasts seven highly trained pups. Through activities like brushing, petting, practicing commands, and leash management, the dogs give patients opportunities to increase strength and dexterity, practice cognitive skills, and gain experience using mobility aids like wheelchairs and walkers. Jackson is a big fan of the dogs, and while his 18th birthday wish of a facility dog slumber party in his room couldn’t exactly come true, Julie made sure to surprise him with Jaxx and Francisco in the gym, bringing some birthday cheer to his therapy session. 

Philip Wexler, M.D. 
“Big W”

Years at Shepherd: 5 
Role: Medical Director, Pulmonology and Respiratory Therapy 
Dr. Wexler heard about Jackson before his arrival at Shepherd — his family used to live in Boston, and his wife has stayed in touch with the close-knit hockey community they formed there. When Jackson arrived, Dr. Wexler wanted to help create a supportive, tight-knit, hockey-like atmosphere where Jackson could be himself. The two have a special bond — Dr. Wexler helped Jackson with his ventilator weaning, and now, he’s working to make sure Jackson has a strong cough, which he’ll need to tackle any future illnesses he may face. 

Shepherd Team

“The Family”

Jackson shares a special bond with these members of his team, but they’re only a fraction of his full Shepherd support system — it would take this whole magazine, and then some, to cover the impact each staff member, volunteer, and donor has on patients like Jackson. From nutrition services to assistive technology, family housing to environmental services, peer support to research, financial services to the Shepherd Foundation, everyone plays a role in patient recovery, helping patients like Jackson find hope after injury or illness. 

Editor’s Note: When this story was written in July 2025, Jackson was nearing the end of his time as an inpatient after over six months of rehabilitation. Jackson completed additional rehab in the Spinal Cord Injury Day Program before heading home to Minnesota in late September.

Written by Erin Kenney