. His wife, Norma Elkin, is by his side, as she has been throughout his recovery. But today isn’t any ordinary lunch. Today, Tom will work with Norma and his occupational therapist, Marie Alexander, MSOT, OTR/L, to feed himself for the first time.

The group peruses the day’s cafeteria offerings. Tom is focused on foods that could be considered “stab-able,” and Marie encourages him to choose whatever he’d like (except maybe soup!) Tom decides on baked chicken, mac and cheese, and roasted cauliflower. They pick up his food and head to a table.

Marie suggests that Tom pull up to the corner of the table — that way, he can get close to his plate without his armrest bumping into the table. Once he’s situated and the table height is set, Marie puts down a non-slip placemat and helps Tom fit a 3D-printed universal cuff over his right hand. Into that, she places a fork that she has bent at an angle to give Tom, who has limited mobility in his arms and wrists, a better angle to “stab” the food on his plate and get it to his mouth.

The mobile arm support Marie attaches to his wheelchair helps Tom lift his arm as he regains strength. “So, we fitted this early on in day program so that he could easily use it in different therapy sessions,” Marie explains. “So, he's used it in rec therapy before, for playing cards; he uses it with me for working on feeding himself. And then we've been problem-solving different fork setups. I feel like this is the one that we thought was the best, right, Tom?”

“The trick is the right position to both get the food and bring it up, and be able to eat it,” Tom says.

“It's finding the balance … because sometimes it looks great for stabbing, but then he brings it here [to his mouth], and the fork is turned sideways,” Marie demonstrates.

Norma cuts the baked chicken into bite-sized pieces, and Tom starts poking at the various foods on his plate. The process could lead to frustration — sometimes the angle isn’t quite right to get the food onto the fork, other times it slides off before Tom can get it to his mouth, or he gets only a partial bite. But Tom approaches the task with determination and humor — and Norma and Marie do the same, offering encouragement, laughter, and troubleshooting tips.

They try different forks and different angles. Marie reminds Tom to sit up straight while he eats, bringing the food to his mouth instead of vice versa. She tells both Tom and Norma that a plate with edges can be helpful, giving him something to push the food against.

“As my mobility gets better, strength gets better in this right arm; this should become easier,” Tom says. Marie agrees.

“But I'm happy to work on it at this phase,” he continues, “because I won't get stronger if I don't.”

“And it's not only strength,” Marie explains, “it's also coordination, learning how to turn on which muscles, when.”

Before today, Tom has been practicing using a fork in the day program gym. Sometimes with therapy putty, and once, with a special treat — coffee cake Marie brought from home. Norma laughs that Tom was just as excited about the coffee cake as he was about feeding it to himself.

Since Tom began the day program, he and Norma have made the drive from Kennesaw every weekday, which makes for long days, but they both say it’s worth it.

“I love the combined approach that Shepherd gives you,” Tom says. “An occupational therapist, physical therapist, a rec therapist, speech therapist, and it's asking me, ‘What do you need? What are your goals?’ You know, my goals are to get stronger, get where I can do more things for myself, get where she [Norma] doesn't have to do as much for me. so that I can just enjoy.”

Tom also says it’s great to have Norma there with him.

“I am a lucky person, that I got my wife Norma as my caregiver, she got trained up early and often on all the things,” he says. “And she got a lot of high marks from nursing.”

“And the staff is so great about training us, and letting us do it, so I got comfortable,” Norma explains.

“But she wanted to learn stuff as quick as she could and then it’s on to the next thing,” Tom says. “I heard that some family members were a little apprehensive, and it's like, ‘No, you're going home, so you need to know this stuff.’”

You can tell that Tom and Norma are a great team. They’ve been married for more than 40 years and even worked together in recent years. Sometimes they complete each other’s sentences. They have learned a lot at Shepherd about adapting to life at home, including little tips and tricks to make daily tasks go more smoothly. When Marie shows them how to put two straws together to create an extra-long straw that’s easier to reach, Norma has already experimented with it. She’s even developed her own technique for bending the bottom of the straw, so it balances a little better in the drink.

Tom returns his focus to the task at hand.

“The rotation of my wrist is not where it needs to be quite yet. It's getting there. I mean, in a short amount of time, we went from pretty much nothing to some activity … I am so determined to get some of this cauliflower!”

“Did Marie tell you this is your last meal for today, so you better eat up?” Norma jokes. “Just trying to give him a little motivation,” she laughs.

He tries again, but sometimes the cauliflower slides off the fork. The mac and cheese and chicken are a little more cooperative. Norma and Marie cheer him on — Norma tells him to go for it, that she’ll “go for the save” if anything falls. Marie reminds him to keep his shoulder down and let his elbow come out a bit. He gets a full bite — success.

“Oh, that was tasty. Very good,” Tom declares.

Written by Ruth Underwood

At Shepherd, no effort is spared in helping families through recovery. Clinical treatments can help patients make progress medically, but resources like family housing, psychological and chaplaincy services, and community outings can help families adjust to a new lifestyle, build confidence, and prepare for the future together.

In the summer issue of Spinal Column, we feature four families who've been impacted by their time at Shepherd Center — whether it was a short stop on their road to recovery or a place of continued support for navigating illness and building independence. Click the links to get to know each family, or see the story in full below.

‘An Honor to Care for Him’
Rebecca and Justin Goldman Support Their Son in the Wake of Injury

‘Lift Yourself Up’
Tachiana Ingram and Her Daughter Learn to Navigate Her Multiple Sclerosis

‘A New Man’
Marine Mark Koerner Turned to SHARE to Reconnect with His Family

‘Everything I’ve Wanted'
Megan Collins Bordon's Motherhood Journey Post-Spinal Cord Injury

Parenthood is never without challenges. But parents coming through Shepherd Center are often facing challenges they never imagined — caring for a child with a traumatic injury or navigating a lifelong diagnosis of their own. In the summer issue of Spinal Column magazine, we highlight how Shepherd Center supports patients and families, from providing family housing and support services to delivering tailor-made care to patients. The new issue is now available for download as a PDF file. Subscribers to the print version will receive copies via postal mail in the coming days.

In this issue's cover story, you'll meet five parents: caregivers to an adolescent traumatic brain injury patient, a patient from the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Scleorsis Institute, a former spinal cord injury patient, and a client from the SHARE Military Initiative. All of them turned to Shepherd for the help they needed. This issue also features other patient and staff stories, updates from around the hospital, and information on recent fundraising and volunteer initiatives. 

Have questions or feedback about this issue? Have an idea for a future Spinal Column story? We want to hear from you! Our Spinal Column reader survey, available here, will take five minutes or less to complete and will help us make the magazine a place for Shepherd Center patients, families, employees, volunteers, and community members to shine.

Subscribe here for Shepherd Center's Spinal Column magazine print and/or e-newsletter versions.

When families arrive at Shepherd Center, their number one priority is their loved one's rehabilitation. But day-to-day tasks and needs don't stop, even in the face of a life changing injury. Shepherd Center's Family Support Services Coordinator Rebecca Shearin helps families balance these needs, get to know their new environment, and even find time to carve out for themselves. Here, she answers a few questions about her role. 

How do you explain your role to families who are new to Shepherd Center? 

The first time I introduce myself to a patient’s family member, I tell them to think of me as their admin and concierge. For many of them, it’s like they’ve moved to a new city, but they didn’t pick it out or choose to come here. Anybody who has moved to a new city knows those struggles — you don’t know where things are, you don’t feel comfortable going places. I let them know they can ask me about things in the area, from family-friendly places to visit, to good hair or nail salons, to grocery stores and restaurants. 

With the admin part, I stress to them that I’m not the person to help them fill out their disability paperwork, but once it is complete, I can scan it, fax it, copy it, notarize it, whatever is needed. I also take care of inpatient mail. 

I also help connect families with extended stay hotels and apartments in the area. We provide family housing at the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences for those who live over 50 miles from the hospital, but often extended family or friends will visit during a patient’s rehabilitation, and I’m able to help those visitors find lodging nearby. 

Day-to-day, my role can be a hodgepodge. I also manage the patient and family event calendar, and the family lounge is my home base. I take care of the lounge area and restock anything in there that’s needed. I also assist with our Tuesday night family dinners. 

What initially drew you to Shepherd Center? 

So, I ended up at Shepherd because I was job searching and I had recently graduated from Georgia State [University] as a film major with a minor in art. I was striking out finding work, and I had student loan payments coming, so I thought, “OK, let me pivot. What else do I like to do?” My husband and I really enjoy volunteering, and so I started looking at jobs at nonprofits, and then I applied for some roles at Shepherd. 

I heard back from Alex [Seblatnigg, Shepherd’s Director of Volunteer Services] right away, which I initially was nervous about. We set up an interview, and my first question was “How long did the person previously in the role work here?” and she said 15 years. That got me really interested — and when I came in for an in-person interview, people were saying hello to me in the hallways already. I just thought, “These are my people!” 

I joked with friends who asked me about my job at Shepherd Center, “Who knew my ability to talk to strangers in grocery stores would be valued anywhere?” That’s pretty much what I do — talk to strangers all day. And I love it. I love the purpose that we have here, and being able to help people. 

What are some of the biggest challenges of your role? 

The hardest thing is whenever I have to tell somebody no. I don’t like telling people no, but occasionally that’s the answer. For example, we can’t give people rides to and from the airport. We’re not too far, but it would be too much for our volunteers to ask them to pick up and drop off people at the airport. 

Another challenge is helping people get used to our area. A significant number of our patients and families are from rural areas, and they haven’t spent an extended amount of time in the city before. That can be intimidating and nerve-wracking, which I understand. 

This isn’t necessarily a challenge, but another difficult thing I face is seeing how patient family members and caregivers are usually the hardest on themselves. They don’t give themselves enough grace, or even think about themselves at all. One time, I was helping a woman who was almost in tears because she couldn’t remember how to attach something in an email. She kept saying she felt stupid, and I had to say, “You’re not stupid, you’re tired.” I try to help them be kind to themselves because they’re sleep deprived, they’re stressed out, and they’re receiving tons of information. It’s not the best example, but it’s almost like when you have a baby for the first time. You’re learning all this stuff, and you’re waking up every few hours. When I say this to parents I’m working with, they go “Oh yeah,” because every parent remembers how exhausting that was, and I hope it helps them be a little kinder to themselves in their current circumstances. 

What else is unique about your role at Shepherd Center? 

I absolutely love what I do. Every now and then, I have a family member or patient who will come say goodbye to me before they leave. I am so honored that they think of me to do that. I just love this place. I really do. The fact that we even have a role like mine — I think Shepherd is pretty unique in having that. I think it’s because we were started by a family who had to travel hundreds of miles for their son’s care. They knew what it was like to be far from home. All those little things we provide, I can’t help but think they stem from their own personal experience. 

Responses have been edited for length and clarity. 

Interview by Erin Kenney

On this Tuesday night, the menu is lasagna, chicken marsala, and other Italian favorites dished up by business leaders in the Atlanta Kiwanis Club. Music blends into chatter as hungry patients and their families reconnect with friends and begin to form new friendships. 

Shepherd’s Tuesday Night Family Dinner “is one of the highlights of my week,” says Lynda Tuesca, attending with her son, Ben, who was injured in a car crash. “We’re all happier when we’re sitting around a dinner table. You hear what brought everybody here, then you know them when you see them in the halls and elevators.” After the meal, there are icebreaker questions, followed by games such as trivia and bingo. Tonight’s question is, “If you could be on a TV game show, which one would you choose?” FBI agent Michael Hynes, who is at Shepherd for rehabilitation for a spinal cord injury, cracks up the room with his answer, “The Bachelor.”

Anna Elmers, M.D., started the weekly dinners in 2016 with Renee Houle, a grateful former Shepherd patient. At first, Dr. Elmers and Renee cooked and served the dinners themselves, with the help of their families and friends. “It was a way to create community among my patients, so they knew they weren’t alone in their catastrophic injuries,” says Dr. Elmers, who stepped back from full-time work at Shepherd in 2023. Sometimes people stayed to talk long after dishes had been cleared, she says. 

The dinners were suspended during the COVID epidemic, but they came back bigger than ever under the leadership of Jennifer Heffron, engagement coordinator for Shepherd Center Foundation. Jennifer, a neighbor of Dr. Elmers, had helped with the dinners as a volunteer. “They’re a lot of fun,” Jennifer says. “We get so many repeat sponsors and volunteers because everybody loves them.”

Inpatients, outpatients, even former patients are welcome. Matthew Ryan walks down from the SHARE Military Initiative on Peachtree Park Drive, where he is a client at SHARE, every Tuesday. “A lot of times we’re off in our rooms just doing our own thing,” he says. “These dinners give us a chance to fellowship together. A lot of people can’t afford to go out to dinner because their finances are tied up in recovery.” 

Matthew says he has brought several of his fellow SHARE clients to the dinners. “The dinners are just like your family away from home,” he says. “They keep you sane and keep your spirits up.” And, he adds with a grin, “the desserts are always good.”

Written by Gayle White

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. You can explore the full eBook or purchase a hardcover copy here. 

“It’s fascinating,” Heather says. “They were having him do circus tricks, it seemed like, but he did a great job.” Jeff’s room is “their” room. While their kids and Jeff’s parents have stayed on and off at the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences down the street, Heather has opted to stay in the room with Jeff, fashioning a makeshift mattress out of pillows and a fitted sheet (her advice on mattress options later).

The Millicans arrived at Shepherd Center just a couple of weeks earlier. On Sept.14, Jeff sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) along with broken bones and multiple internal injuries when he was hit by a car while helping with a crash on the interstate. After a month at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, Florida, he transferred to Shepherd’s Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit, where he has been participating in physical, occupational, and speech therapy, with Heather by his side.

“I love how involved I can be,” Heather says. “I mean, I'm here. I love that I can spend the night. That was not the case in the ICU (in Florida) after the first three days. And that was really hard on both of us, because we've been together since I was 18. Literally, we've grown up together, and so that was really difficult. So, it's been nice to be able to be here, kind of in the rhythm of everything.”

It's a new rhythm, of course, and while they’re fully focused on therapy, both Heather and Jeff are eager to get back to their “normal.” Heather, a teacher and librarian, and Jeff, a fire battalion chief, live in Bradenton, Florida. They have two boys, ages 20 and 24, and Heather says, with both boys now out of the house, she and Jeff are “empty nesting pros.” When not working, they have been traveling, going to concerts, and enjoying time outdoors together.

“We like adventures. We like traveling, kayaking, hiking, paddleboarding, biking, college football, we don't sit still very well,” she explains.

She says that after Jeff’s injury, getting to Shepherd marked a milestone for them.

“One of the hardest things, I think, was watching Jeff recover in the other hospital. They 100% saved his life, and they did a phenomenal job. But as he was recovering, wanting rehab, wanting more to happen for him, neurologically, physically — and they're not a rehab hospital, which I totally understood,” Heather explains. “We kept saying, ‘Okay, here's a checklist of things we need to do. We need to get off this. We need to get off this. We need to do this so we can move to Shepherd. And so getting to Atlanta became our mantra.… It was a big milestone in his recovery because we knew he was stable enough. We knew we were ready for it.”

And she was thrilled when things began to happen soon after they arrived.

“Once we got here, we were in therapy all day and all the things, and it's so tailored to what Jeff wants to do and what we used to do. It's so heartwarming … you know, we keep talking about our normal. We just want our normal back. And it will never be the same because WE won't be exactly the same. But to know that they want that for us, too. They want him to ride his bike, and go kayaking, and go paddleboarding — and they’re making exercises specifically for that is amazing.”

Shepherd Center encourages caregivers to be involved in their loved ones’ care and to learn as much as possible during their recovery. Heather is an essential member of Jeff’s care team, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I go to the therapies, I get the homework or tips or tricks and things to work on for now and in the future, even keeping a running list of things we're going to need for the house for exercises and stuff like that. Because we're a team in this, you know, if we're going to get better every day, we've got to both be working for it.”

She also says joining Jeff for therapy sessions, taking notes, and soaking in the information has felt empowering.

“I think that's been my biggest outlet because it allows me to be very active during the day. Do you know what I mean? There's not a lot of languishing.”

And she gets to see Jeff’s progress.

“I'm proud of him because he's doing things that would not be in his comfort zone and doing it willingly,” Heather says. “You know, asking for help if he needs it, waiting a second to try to understand something, or doing something that seems like it should be easy, but it's a tool.”

‘Get Better Every Day’

Heather probably wouldn’t call herself a “caregiver” — maybe a teammate or, she jokes, a “drill sergeant.”

But shifting roles has been just one part of the rehabilitation journey, layered with uncertainty, impatience, medical milestones and setbacks, overwhelm, gratitude, and hope.

“I am not responsible for many things, apparently, in our lives, besides working,” she laughs. “He does a lot of our bills and our travel plans. So, I had to learn.”

Part of the learning process involved canceling plans the couple had for concerts, sporting events, and travel in the near future, plus paying bills, navigating insurance, and making sense of reports on Jeff’s medical condition.

And dealing with uncertainty.

“Just the unknown,” she says. “We both want our regular life back, and it's going to take time. What does that look like — him returning to work when trying to fit in the therapies, and me going back to work at some point?

And it's been hard, but our mantra is ‘get better every day.’ So we're getting better every day, and we have each other, and we're blessed beyond measure for that.”

She’s grateful for the support of family and friends at every stage of the journey and is glad their kids and Jeff’s parents can stay nearby in family housing, helping with logistics and just being there to spend time as a family.

Accepting that support has been another transition. As a firefighter and a teacher, Jeff and Heather are used to being the helpers. “We're not used to being the center of attention. We're the givers, we're the helpers. So that role reversal kind of feels weird,” she explains.

With all the support she and Jeff have received, Heather shares another outlet that she has found helpful.

“This may sound silly, but … writing thank-you notes. … The fire community has been astounding for us. [Jeff’s] union has always been a brotherhood, but they just swooped in and, when I couldn't stand, made sure we were going to be fine. … And then my school community and our friends. So just being able to write, it’s almost like journaling, so that's been a really big outlet for me.”

She also attended a peer support group for family members of people who have sustained brain injuries. “Been There, Done That” is led by Kim Ross, Family Member/Caregiver Peer Support Lead Liaison, whose son sustained a TBI several years ago.

“I really did find that powerful,” Heather reflects. “My husband's trajectory is so positive, and both of us have talked about perspective, right? Like he knows he probably shouldn't have survived. The reality is, most people getting hit by a car going fifty-plus miles an hour wouldn't. And so, taking that perspective and turning it into your power, and [recognizing] that we are further ahead of where anybody would have expected him to be at this point.”

In a couple of weeks, Jeff will graduate from CRU and continue therapy at Shepherd Pathways, where he and Heather will share an apartment. Heather is especially excited that she’ll have a real bed again. While she and Jeff are still on his recovery journey, Heather has some advice to share based on their experience.

“I think getting connected — we have connected with some of the people on our floor and their families. It’s just that shared struggle, that shared goal. There's something to be said about that. So don't isolate yourself. You know, we all want the same goal. We want the best life possible moving forward. And so that has been inspiring.

“I also think counting on your team and talking to them, and [knowing that] it's okay to ask questions.”

On the lighter side, Heather adds,

“Download Uber Eats…

“Eat the banana pudding in the cafeteria…"

And if you’re staying in the hospital room, “probably buy an air mattress.”

Written by Ruth Underwood
 

Years at Shepherd: 5
Training: Black Belt Certificate Program, Mercer University
Fun Facts:
■ William is a self-taught drummer — he showed off his skills at last year’s Shepherd’s Got Talent.
■ He enjoys playing golf, fishing, and collecting Star Wars Legos.
■ His dad taught him how to fix up cars and work with his hands.

How did you get started at Shepherd Center?
I worked [next door] at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital for 23 years. I started at the bottom as a maintenance tech because I love working with my hands. I worked my way up through Piedmont, all the way up through management. When the opportunity came my way for a director position here, I knew the history and culture, and I wanted a taste of that.

It was right in the middle of COVID. A lot of people were saying, 'You've been here 23 years, you want to take that risk?' But Shepherd's just a special place. I prayed about it. The next morning, the only thing on my mind was Shepherd. I looked up and said, 'Thank you, Lord. You helped me make that decision.' And it was the best decision of my life.
 
What does your role look like on a day-to-day basis?
We take care of the buildings — mechanical systems, plumbing, heating and air, electrical, painting, flooring — you name it. We also handle moves and furniture, and help with patient outings when needed. We cover not just this campus but also off-site locations: Pathways, Spring Creek, the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences, and more. We're mechanical, not clinical, but everything we do still contributes to the patients’
care. Even something small, like changing a lightbulb in a patient's room, makes a difference. If it brings them comfort, then we've done our job.

You're known for getting involved in more than facilities work. What drives that?
I just love helping people. I love engaging with people. During Halloween and Christmas, I put decorations out in front of the engineering shop. I see families stop and take pictures. That brings some kind of joy into their life while they're dealing with so much here. That's what makes me happy.

Do you have a favorite memory since joining Shepherd?
Oh yeah — this is what I call my Shepherd Promise story. A few years back, I got a call about an elderly woman who was trying to change a flat tire in the parking deck. She didn't want to miss her husband's rehab session. So, I found her, introduced myself, and said, 'Ma'am, I'd be more than happy to change that tire for you.' While I was doing it, we talked about life, family, and the world. Two weeks later, I got a thank-you letter from her. She had taken the time to get my name and address and send me a card. I still get teary-eyed talking about it. Even just changing a tire, you can touch somebody in a way that sticks with them. That's the heart of Shepherd.
 
What do you want people to know about the engineering department at Shepherd?
People don't always realize how much property we cover. We're up to about 1.4 million square feet with the new buildings. I've got a team of 14, and we love what we do. We come in every day, work hard, and do it as a team. I tell folks: we're all spokes in a bicycle wheel. And when one of those spokes gets loose, the wheel doesn't turn right. So, we all stay tight together.
 

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Interview by Dominique McPhearson

Before his injury, Pete was an intrepid world traveler, a mountain climber, and a daredevil who barreled into every day with the hubris of youth. Using a wheelchair for mobility meant reimagining all of this. At Shepherd, he began learning all the new life skills he needed to take care of himself, but he was not yet able to picture himself in this new reality. 

Minna Hong, Shepherd’s peer support manager at the time, who had sustained a spinal cord injury in a car crash, was the first to break through to Pete. “When Minna came in and was able to actually execute all these skills I was learning, that’s when it turned from a fairy tale into a real-life story,” Pete says. “If she could do all these things in a wheelchair, I could be successful at this, too.” 

When Minna retired in 2018, her mentee Pete assumed the role of peer support manager, leading a team of eight “representatives of success” — four people with spinal cord injuries, three family members of people who sustained brain injuries, and one military veteran who came home with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. 

Research—some done at Shepherd — has proven what the Shepherd team already knew anecdotally — that people learn better from others who have “been there, done that.” And the low-cost intervention of peer support has a direct impact on patient outcomes. With data in hand, Shepherd began engaging peer mentors throughout the continuum of care, offering more opportunities to bridge the theoretical and the practical.

Peer mentors work with nurse educators to teach patients about skin issues, bowel and bladder management, prevention of urinary tract infections, high blood pressure, blood clots, spasms, infection control, and more. They also assist with patients’ psychosocial adjustment. In addition, Shepherd sponsors various peer support groups for anyone in the community with specific conditions, and their families and caregivers. There are monthly dinners as well, along with Zoom groups designed to build inclusive, supportive communities.

“For some patients who come through here, there are days where the light at the end of the tunnel can be just a pinhole,” Pete says. “You don’t even know what you’re working toward, and it’s easier to measure what you’ve lost—what you can’t do anymore. But the most rewarding thing is to see a person regain their sense of self. ‘No, I am me. I can go back to work or protect my family or whatever.’ Once they realize they can do that, it starts the flood of transformative thinking.” 

Two decades ago, horticulture lessons at Shepherd helped Pete begin to reclaim his life. “We went out and found this gigantic, beautiful hydrangea—full bloom, full grandeur,” he recalls. “We reduced it to a tiny fraction of itself, then nurtured and loved it so it grew into a whole new bush — back to full grandeur. That became a metaphor for my experience that I share often with patients. Nature wants us to thrive. All we have to do is tend to our soil.”

Written by Teresa Weaver

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. You can explore the full eBook or purchase a hardcover copy here. 

As things got worse, Carlos began having suicidal ideations.

 “No one saw the pain I was in,” Carlos says. “I was suffering in silence.” 

Carlos was in the U.S. Army for 18 years in Mechanized Infantry and later in Special Forces. He had a total of 11 deployments and although he has experienced several TBI incidents, the more significant were in Afghanistan in 2007 when he was involved in three different explosions. When he heard about SHARE from a friend, he decided to try it. 

After his acceptance in April 2019, he began psychological, speech, physical, occupational, and recreational therapy. Doctors prescribed medications to alleviate his chronic migraines. By the time he left three months later, he had seen dramatic improvements. 

“It was the last time I’d had any suicidal thoughts,” he says. “The symptoms of my PTSD decreased, and my migraines improved. I became a better husband and father. And the counseling my family received helped them understand my symptoms.” 

Carlos medically retired from the Army in October 2019 and focused on his health and eventually a new career. He returned to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in intercultural studies from Manna University and now works there teaching Latin American students. While studying for his master’s degree, he began to experience eye strain/fatigue and more frequent migraines, which led to depression. He returned to SHARE in March 2025. 

“They are helping me learn the different triggers and how to pace myself before the migraines increase to a debilitating level,” Carlos says. “I am also learning new tools to make things easier on my eyes.” 

Carlos says that because of SHARE, he is happier, more focused, and has fewer PTSD and TBI symptoms. He also has a better relationship with his family. “I came to Shepherd with the hope that I would get better,” he says. “The SHARE program was my last lifeline. They helped me, they helped my family, and we are all smiling again.”

Written by Sara Baxter

Joshua Ponder seemed an unlikely guest of honor in such a rosy setting, but this was a surprise baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Ava Lee Ponder, Josh’s daughter. He had expected to be at home in Weaverville, North Carolina, to welcome Ava in person, but a dive into a shallow pool caused an injury that brought him to Shepherd. “We don’t want him to miss out just because he’s here,” says Gloria Sipakati, OT, OTR/L. 

That is the typical attitude of Shepherd staff members as they help mark the milestones in their patients’ lives. Therapy teams have thrown birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, engagement celebrations, and weddings — along with baby showers. 

“It shows we care about them as a person and about their whole family,” says Mackenzie Dolecheck, CRT. “We’re trying to give them some sense of normalcy.” 

The baby shower for Josh was the second for a patient in the same hospital room within a year. “We have experience in baby showers,” says Sarah Roberts, PT, DPT, NCS. Josh seemed genuinely moved when he rolled into a dark room and heard a chorus of “Surprise!” Someone asked Josh — who described himself as “speechless” at the affair — if he wanted a drink and, when he said yes, they handed him a baby bottle filled with pink lemonade. He especially seemed to enjoy the strawberry cupcakes. 

The guest list for his shower consisted of Cam Beckett and Kinley Ogbonnaya, the other two men who shared Josh’s therapy team. All the guests who were patients arrived using wheelchairs, and all had some challenges using their arms and hands. But that didn’t stop the lively competition in the diaper-the-doll contest as everyone raced to undress and re-clothe their “babies.” When Josh confessed that he had never changed a diaper, a shout went up, “Today’s the day!” Cam, using his teeth to pull the tape on the disposable diaper, appeared to have won until the therapists inspected the result and saw a bit too much of the baby’s backside. The threat of disqualification was greeted with hoots of laughter. 

In a diaper-toss challenge, guests tried to score points by throwing a green rubber ball into pockets of open diapers stuck to a board. Recreation therapist Mackenzie constructed the setup the night before. Although the participants struggled to control the trajectory of the ball, all seemed to have a good time. 

Josh’s father, Frank Ponder, watched the action from the doorway. “It’s highly unusual for a hospital to be this way,” he says. “Josh had an older sister born with spina bifida who died five years ago, and we spent a lot of time in hospitals. I’ve never witnessed a place like this.” 

The hospital may be full of patients, Frank says, but “when the therapists are with Josh, they make him feel like he’s the only patient here.”

Written by Gayle White

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. You can explore the full eBook or purchase a hardcover copy here. 

He doesn’t remember the accident — or the two months leading up to it and the five or six months after it. His first memory is of physical therapy at Shepherd Center. 

“I knew what I had to do to get my life back,” Clark says now, a decade later. “I had this dream of waking up in my frat house, walking across campus, hanging out with my buddies—just having my college life back. This fueled an unbelievable fire inside me. I always knew I was going to make it back,” he says. “I never let myself begin to think otherwise.” 

In 2020, Clark at last had his chance to make it back—he walked across the stage and received his diploma from Georgia Tech. “It was pretty awesome,” he says. “I felt like I was a superstar.” 

“He is a miracle,” says his mother, Mariellen Jacobs. Any proud mother might say that, but in fact, Clark’s survival story has prompted changes that make every college student in Georgia safer. “Clark’s accident happened so quickly, and it was something I had never thought about—the danger of falling out of elevated beds,” Mariellen says. “But I thought, ‘Surely, this is not the only time this has ever happened.’” 

And so, as Clark began his recovery, Mariellen started gathering facts and reaching out to other parents, eventually forming a nonprofit organization called Rail Against the Danger. The group’s rallying cry: “Do you think you’re too old for a safety rail? Don’t fall for that.”  

Mariellen’s background in graphic design and marketing helped her channel her anguish into activism, as Rail Against the Danger began advocating with the University System of Georgia to install safety rails on all loft and bunk beds in campus housing. After a few years of lobbying and many iterations, the new rule was put in place in the fall of 2019. 

Rail Against the Danger attracted the attention of Nanette Hausman, mother of a college student who died after a tragic skateboarding accident in Colorado. Along with several other parents who had lost their children to preventable accidents on campuses across the country, Mariellen and Nanette, who has since passed away, created the College Safety Coalition, which works on legislation to hold schools more accountable and transparent about campus safety. 

“Alana Shepherd was a key element in giving me the courage and the strength to really pursue Rail Against the Danger,” says Mariellen, who since 2019 has worked in Shepherd Center’s Peer Support Program. “She told me, ‘Knock down every door and don’t take “no” for an answer.’ . . . Just look at what Alana has done. She helped start Shepherd Center and now it’s two gigantic new buildings and 50 years of advocacy. You start somewhere, and you just keep going. Anything is possible if you just keep going.” 

Written by Teresa Weaver

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. 

Brent Butler, a longtime cyclist, sustained a traumatic brain injury — among a litany of other injuries — in a collision with a car while he was biking. By the time the Butler family got to Shepherd Center, Brent had yet to emerge from a minimally conscious state. 

“Physically and emotionally, we were pretty low at that point,” Butch recalls. 

Thankfully, after the parents saw Brent checked in, all they had to do was head next door to the Irene and George Woodruff Family Residence Center for some much-needed sleep. 

“That may not seem like much, but in that moment, it was a blessing,” Butch says. “Especially for me. I’ve been a paraplegic myself for 20 years. I know how hard it is to find a truly accessible hotel room. At Shepherd Center, we had it waiting for us, right next to where our son would be.” 

The next morning, Butch and Debra were told to come over to Brent’s room at 8 a.m. A quick roll through the parking deck and an elevator ride later, they were back by Brent’s side. But not his bedside. That’s because Brent’s care team already had him up and sitting in a wheelchair. 

“He still wasn’t even awake, and they had to strap him in to stay upright,” Butch says, “but he was upright. He hadn’t been out of a bed for a month. I said something to one of Brent’s nurses, and they said, ‘Oh, we don’t stay in bed at Shepherd Center.’ I turned to my wife and said, ‘Yeah, we’re in the right place.’” 

Family housing is one piece of the puzzle at Shepherd Center when it comes to helping families stay together, learn together, and prepare to return home together — all during what’s likely the most trying and tiring time in their lives. This fall, Shepherd Center more than doubled its family housing capacity with the opening of the new Arthur M. Blank Family Residences — in part due to stories like the Butlers’, that demonstrate the importance of family housing. 

“The residences are a game-changer,” says Lauren Ross, OTR/L, MS, an occupational therapist in Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. “They help these new caregivers take care of themselves, too. And that’s huge. Because when they’re rested, they’re able to spend more quality time with their loved one. They’re able to participate fully and learn what they need to learn as caregivers.” 

Ross witnessed that first-hand with the Butler family — Butch and Debra, as well as Brent’s sister Maggie — when she worked with Brent during his inpatient stay at Shepherd Center. “They were so wonderful to work with and super open to being educated,” Lauren says. “We did a lot of exercises to simulate their home environment in order to get them thinking about their needs at home and how they would navigate things returning to their daily lives.” When Brent was discharged to Shepherd Pathways, a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for people recovering from brain injury, he “moved in” with his family in the Woodruff Residence residence — getting a taste for the transition home. Today, the Butlers still live together — a development that would have been quite unexpected a little over a year ago. Butch and Debra moved Brent in with them, to their home in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Maggie is there almost all the time, too, essentially moving in from her home in Asheville. 

“We’re a tight-knit little team,” Butch says. 

They’re thankful that Brent is active and engaged, with his sense of humor fully intact. His short-term memory, while spotty, continues to improve. And they recently took a road trip to a big car show — a treat for Brent, who is a massive Formula 1 racing fan. The transition has been smoother than anticipated, something the family attributes to being fully engaged in Brent’s rehabilitation at Shepherd Center. 

“It all started with the housing,” Butch says. “That took off so much worry and stress, and we were just able to be engaged in the rehab process. That made all the difference in the world. When you’re in it right alongside him, you’re learning so much. You’re learning how to be the caregiver. You’re getting a sense of what to be prepared for back home.” 

By Phillip Jordan

Shepherd Center recently celebrated the opening of the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences, located at 1860 Peachtree Road, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Located just south of Shepherd Center, the 16-floor building will more than double Shepherd Center’s housing capacity, adding 165 new accessible units. The tower will welcome its first guests in October.

With the support of a $50 million capital grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the new housing tower will allow families and day program patients who live more than 60 miles from Shepherd Center to stay in donor-funded housing for the full duration of their loved one’s rehabilitation, helping ease the financial and emotional burden of being away from home.

More than half of Shepherd Center’s patients come from outside of Georgia. Because families and loved ones are an essential part of the rehabilitation journey, their presence allows them to provide comfort and encouragement to their loved ones while also undergoing family training in preparation for returning to their communities. Previously, due to space constraints and availability, Shepherd Center could only provide housing for families for 30 days, while the average length of stay for patients is nearly twice that. In addition to the new housing, Shepherd Center also has 84 units on campus with an additional 36 units nearby.

“Family involvement in rehabilitation has been a pillar of our care since the Shepherd family and Dr. Apple founded Shepherd Center nearly 50 years ago,” said Sarah Morrison, PT, MBA, MHA, CEO of Shepherd Center. “With the expansion of our housing program, we will reduce the financial and emotional burden on our patients' families so they can focus on learning how to support their loved ones and each other through rehabilitation and as they return to their communities."

The new building includes 165 apartments – 65 two-bedroom and 100 one-bedroom – and has multiple amenities available to families, including a communal kitchen, meeting rooms, a library, a recreation room with a pool table, arcade games, and a children’s corner. Just outside the recreation room is an outdoor garden with a grill space and fountain wall. Additionally, the garden is the new home to the iconic bison statue that once stood on the space once occupied by Ted’s Montana Grill. 

The housing expansion is part of Pursuing Possible: The Campaign for Shepherd Center, which funds capital and programmatic projects to benefit patients and families experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. The campaign also includes a significant investment in innovation with the launch of the Marcus Center for Advanced Rehabilitation, which will open in Spring 2025 with the support of an $80 million grant from The Marcus Foundation .

The dinners were born in 2016 from the hope of Anna Elmers, M.D., to help patients connect and build community.

“When people are going through this catastrophic event, they need to know they're not alone, and not just the patients, but the families need to know they're not alone,” Dr. Elmers explains. “It's all about community and giving people more support.”

Dr. Elmers pitched her idea to Renee Houle, who participated in outpatient physical therapy at Shepherd and was eager to give back after discharge. Renee accepted the challenge — and in August 2016, she and a friend, Joan Marie Hyland, worked with Dr. Elmers to hold the first family dinner and followed the first with many more.

“It was pretty simple. We didn’t think twice about it. We would cook the meals, lay them out, and put out tables and chairs. Then we’d let everybody know dinner was ready. It was great to see how much it helped the patients and families to have each other, to talk about what they were going through and how to solve problems they were facing. And it gave us a chance to sit down with them and learn their stories — all the heartbreak and all the good stuff that happened through them being there,” Renee recalls.

COVID safety precautions stopped family dinners for a time, but recently, Jennifer Heffron, engagement coordinator for Shepherd Center Foundation, revived the tradition, with groups volunteering to make or order meals, set up, and serve. After everyone’s plate is full, volunteers or staff lead the dinner guests in introductions and an icebreaker question — asking guests to share things like a favorite movie, hidden talent, or someone who inspires them. Introductions are sometimes followed by friendly — or heated — competition in a game of Bingo — with a bag of much sought-after prizes.

“The dinners are super fun,” Jennifer says. “I’m so charged up after each one of them. People are so kind to each other. It really makes a difference in people’s day.”

Courtney Alderman, a Shepherd patient, says the dinners and games give patients something to look forward to. And even though he technically hasn’t won at Bingo yet, “I smiled very hard one night, and the person who won gave me her gift card,” he laughs.

The dinners make for a fulfilling experience for volunteers as well.

Ben Bunyard, a project executive for Choate Construction, has hosted several family dinners with teams from Choate and groups affiliated with designing and constructing the new Marcus Center for Advanced Rehabilitation on Shepherd’s main campus.

“One of the best parts is getting to experience the interaction of the patients and the families.

Everybody there is so genuine, and they open their hearts. It seems like everything is left at the door, and everybody comes together as one family, and I've never experienced that before. It’s heartwarming,” Ben says.

Alana Shepherd, Shepherd Center co-founder and chairman, often joins the group for conversation and fellowship.

“It's an important way for our volunteers to have direct contact with our patients.

And I think it's very rewarding for them. Sometimes, their children come, or a scout troop or sports team will volunteer. The kids love scrambling around, serving drinks, or helping carry patients' plates to the table. They run Bingo and give out the prizes — even the very young kids help out.

“For the patients themselves, it's exciting to see them go from their first dinner, where they're a little bit shy, to the other dinners, when they’ve gotten to know people, they open up and realize it's a social occasion for them. They get to know people and have a real bond that is beyond their therapy expectations,” she says. “Their children attend and see that they are not alone in the family journey,” Alana adds.

Family brunches for caregivers of patients with an acquired brain injury (ABI) are a recent off-shoot of family dinners. Shepherd staff chose a Saturday brunch to give patients and families something to look forward to on what is often a quiet day.

After the first brunch, a former brain injury patient and his wife, eager to provide much-needed support to caregivers, volunteered to host more.

The quarterly brunches are open to caregivers and dietarily approved patients. And the response, especially from caregivers, has been one of gratitude.

“Caregivers come with their loved ones or on their own, but across the board, the reaction we're getting is, ‘Thank you for thinking of us,’” says Lauren Tucker, grateful patient and grants senior manager.

For more information about hosting a family dinner, contact Jennifer Heffron, at jennifer.heffron@shepherd.org. 

Written by Ruth Underwood

It was September of 2022 when the Roche family checked into Shepherd Center’s donor-funded family housing unit for the second time. Brian had already attended Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program as an inpatient and had completed one round of outpatient rehabilitation. This time, the family met Frank, a fellow spinal cord injury patient, and his wife, Jess, who were known around the center for hosting Sunday afternoon barbecues in the family housing garden.

“Every weekend we would barbecue, and everyone would bring something. We would play games, and the patients would all talk about what they did that day in therapy,” says Marci. “It was something for us to look forward to that just felt normal. We didn’t go anywhere on the weekends because we didn’t need to; we had each other.”

It was at one of these get-togethers that Marci met Kristin Replogle and her daughter Tate. As their children got to know each other, so did the moms.

“We learned that Tate and Brian had the same level of spinal cord injury,” explains Marci. “I told them that this time last year, Brian used a wheelchair, and now he could walk. So, we started talking about what we did for Brian’s rehabilitation.”

“Marci really helped us because we could look at life a year from now through them,” says Kristin. “So, watching them gave us the motivation to keep going. Then I met another mom, and we would walk together every day. The fellowship with them was just as important as therapy.”

After Marci told Kristin that Brian participated in Project Walk, an organization that provides activity-based recovery programs for people affected by paralysis or mobility-related disorders and neurological conditions, in between visits to Shepherd Center, Kristin and Tate began their research, and now Tate attends Project Walk in Boston to maintain her progress.

“I read somewhere that your journey is someone else’s roadmap,” explains Marci. “I really feel like that’s true for us. We can help others by sharing our experiences.”

From there, the women created a bond that has carried them through some of the hardest moments in their lives.

“You feel immediately bonded because you’re all going through this together,” says Kristin. “When there’s a problem, it’s not just me trying to figure it out; there are three or four of us sitting together to figure it out. We are the kids’ number one cheerleaders. I know that these are my lifelong friends.”

Today, Brian and Tate are making phenomenal progress in their rehabilitation. At the same time, their moms have continued to extend that feeling of community beyond their small circle to other caregivers.

“I feel called to do this,” says Kristin. “I remember when I first got to Shepherd Center, I was connected with another mom there. She texted me and got me through it. This person is a stranger, but you immediately have this Shepherd mom connection because we have this shared experience as moms living through this detour together.”

When asked what advice they would give to other moms in the same situation, they had this to say:

“Look at things frame by frame instead of the whole film,” says Kristin. “Breaking things down into chunks helps. Also, find your people and let them in on your journey. They will give you the mental support you need to be the best caregiver you can be.”

“Ask questions!” says Marci. “I was always willing to talk about Brian’s story, and that’s what really helped us. Sure, we had stumbles along the way, but hearing what someone else did helps you see things in a different way.”

Written by Lindsey Rieben 

The new mobile-responsive design allows the content to adjust to size of the user's screen. “With more than half of Shepherd Center web visitors accessing the hospital's websites on mobile devices, this new design will provide a much more user-friendly browsing experience,” said Jane Sanders, Shepherd Center’s director of public relations and digital marketing.

My Shepherd Connection features educational materials on spinal cord injury, brain injury, disorders of consciousness, stroke and multiple sclerosis. The website includes printable tips and resources, videos demonstrating techniques and links to additional in-depth resources. Additional links provide information on upcoming events, research participation, injury prevention, professional education and giving to Shepherd Center.

If you have questions or comments about the redesigned site, email them to information@shepherd.org.

In a new podcast with Shepherd Radio, Deborah Backus, director of multiple sclerosis research at Shepherd Center and co-author of the paper “Coping With Caregiver Burnout When Caring for a Person With Neurodegenerative Disease: A Guide for Caregivers,” discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing the impact of caregiving.

Download the podcast as an audio file above, or access it at shepherd.org/radio.

Deborah Backus, PT, Ph.D., FACRM, is the director of multiple sclerosis research at the Eula C. and Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Rehabilitation and Wellness Program at Shepherd Center. She is president-elect of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). Dr. Backus has 30 years of experience as a rehabilitation clinician, educator and researcher. As part of the MS Rehabilitation and Wellness Program at Shepherd Center, Dr. Backus coordinates research efforts to study the health and wellness needs of people at varying stages of MS.

Our psychologists, neuropsychologists, counselors and social workers strive to provide the resources and treatment needed for Shepherd patients, family members and staff to feel and function at their best. Please see the following tips and resources for mental health care.

Benefits of Relaxation

Relaxation can be a very effective way of coping with stress, pain and other problems. Benefits include lowered heart rate, decreased blood pressure, heightened immunity, reduced pain and tension, improved mood and better sleep.

Healthy Tips from Shepherd Center’s Neurorehabilitation Psychology Department

Sleep and exercise are essential to maintaining a mentally healthy lifestyle.

Self-Care for Staff

Work can be overwhelming. Self-care helps employees continue to do their work with care, energy and compassion.

Taking Care of the Caregiver

Being a caregiver can be overwhelming and result in forgetting about oneself and one’s needs. This can lead to self neglect, anger, depression, feelings of isolation, resentment and even illness. These are some helpful ways to take care of yourself when you are a caregiver.

Top 10 Mental Health Tips for Living with Neurological Conditions

Self-care, communication, and support are top ways to manage your mental health.

Tana Hall, LPC, is a family counselor for the inpatient Acquired Brain Injury Program at Shepherd Center. Since 2013, she has been helping the families of patients at Shepherd to cope with the life changes that occur when a loved one sustains an acquired brain injury.

In this podcast from Shepherd Center Radio, Hall discusses the family's grieving process and how brain injury impacts the family system. She offers strategies for families to cope with the long-term effects of brain injury. The podcast is available for download at the link above or at shepherd.org/radio.

Download the podcast as an audio file above, or access it at shepherd.org/radio.

Hall earned a master’s degree in counseling from Georgia State University in 2001 and is a licensed professional counselor (LPC). She has helped develop curriculum for and teaches a monthly class at Shepherd Center on effective communication using Motivational Interviewing (MI). Hall has given talks and facilitated workshops about using MI in healthcare and about family systems after trauma and brain injury.

Previously, Hall was the director of counseling at an Atlanta non-profit organization that served youth and young adults. She has also practiced as a therapist and social skills teacher specializing in helping parents and children communicate more effectively. Her professional experience also includes several years working as an Outward Bound instructor, leading groups of adolescents and adults in the wilderness; working in schools as a consultant and teacher; and as a counselor for an adjudicated youth program at a residential treatment facility.

Haley had her mother-in-law, Janet Hammock, read the article aloud to Haley’s children, 9-year-old Gracie and 4-year-old Kate. The article detailed the severity of the stroke, the brain bleeding and the weeklong coma. It also recounted her month-long stay in Archbold Medical Center's ICU in Thomasville, Ga., her slow but steady physical and cognitive rehabilitation at Shepherd Center and how the entire community had rallied to support Haley, her husband Jacob and the Hammock family.

When Janet finished reading the article, there was silence for a moment. Then Gracie turned to her younger sister and said, “See Kate, I told you our Momma almost died.”

“So you can tell it’s talked about,” Haley says. “We don’t hide this from the kids or pretend nothing has changed. We talk about it because it was tough, but we also talk about it because of how far we’ve come since then.”

The journey has been long. Haley’s stroke forced her to relearn everything. The second grade teacher – who has a master’s degree in early childhood education – had to relearn not only how to read, but also how to walk, how to speak, how to eat. Today, she can do all that and more. Aside from driving, she is completely independent – and her children have been part of the entire process.

When Haley first returned home from Shepherd Center, her right arm was essentially useless.

“I had to figure out how to hold Kate safely with one arm,” Haley remembers. “It was frustrating, but I did it. I wanted to bond with my daughter. The most important thing is to be adaptive. Figure it out. Don’t give up.”

As Haley’s strength and muscle memory returned, she started giving the kids baths again, brushing their hair, preparing their lunches – the little things that mean so much. It may have taken her a little longer than it did before, but that didn’t matter. Today, Haley still doesn’t have complete use of her once-dominant right hand, but she has mastered left-hand techniques on everything from tying her kids’ shoes to painting – a new creative endeavor for Haley.

She also makes sure she does everything possible with her children – from soccer matches to dance recitals and birthday parties. Haley volunteers once a week at Kate’s daycare and at vacation Bible school for Gracie.

“Everything that I accomplish just makes me think I can do something else, too,” Haley says.

She knows that stepping back into her role as mom would not have been possible without the support of her own mother, her mother-in-law and her husband, among many others. It was at Shepherd Center that nurses, therapists and doctors taught Haley’s family how they could help once Haley was mentally and physically prepared to relearn certain things.

“They were teaching her things at Shepherd, but we were the ones who really learned from it,” Janet says. “Her mother, Jacob, me. Shepherd Center loves family. And if you’re willing to be included in the recovery process, they’ll include you. They took as good a care of us as they did Haley. That helps everyone so much.”

For Haley, it’s still all about family. Her parents are farmers in Berlin, Ga., just outside Moultrie. Jacob’s parents run the dry cleaners in town. This Mother’s Day weekend, the Hammocks spent Saturday night at the farm with Haley’s parents, then went to First Baptist Church of Moultrie on Sunday morning before eating lunch with Jacob’s family and spending the afternoon in the pool. If it were up to the kids, every warm day would be spent at the pool.

“Gracie is quiet and reserved, like me,” Haley says. “Kate is the outgoing one. She’s funny, very independent. More like her daddy. Both of them have been wonderful with me the last few years. Kids are kids. Whatever I can do, they accept. Whatever I can’t, they accept. Kids are adaptive, too!”

Her children are also the source of inspiration for one of Haley’s biggest goals. She wants to learn to drive again, of course, and she is working on that during return visits to Shepherd Pathways a few times a year. But even more than that is this:  Haley, with Jacob, wants to be able to take Gracie and Kate to Disney World.

She laughs when she says it out loud.

“I know that might sound silly, but to me it’s extremely important. I want to be able to do that with my family.”

Janet is one of many who have witnessed the daily motivation that Haley’s daughters have provided.

“They’re her inspiration,” Janet says. “You have to have a reason to believe and to keep fighting. We’ve all believed she could conquer this – not alone, but with God’s help and with her family. And she has.”

More information about Shepherd Center's stroke rehabilitation program is available here.

Written by Phillip Jordan
Photos provided courtesy of Archbold Medical Center
 

“On Feb. 9, Matt came to Shepherd Center,” Reda reads. “We told him where he was, and he repeated to us, ‘Shepherd.’ That was the first time in a long time that he seemed to know where he was.”

The next note she reads is: “On Feb. 19, Matt’s nurse asked him how he was. For the first time, he told her that he was ‘all right.’”

Reda has notebooks full of meticulous notes and an iPad with photos documenting Matt’s recovery. She even has texts saved from her older son, a doctor, explaining complex medical terms.

“Well, that’s what mothers, do, right?” Reda says when complimented on her organization and incredible attention to detail.

As the mother of three grown sons all in their 30s, Reda’s days of hands-on parenting – driving the boys here and there, keeping them on top of their homework and attending school events – had passed. All of that changed when on July 13, 2013, her youngest son Matt awoke at his home with a terrible headache that would not go away. When hours – and then an entire day – passed with no relief, Matt’s parents came over to his house to check on him.

“He was still talking, but I could see on his face that something was wrong,” Reda recalls. “When we got to the hospital, they told us he had a massive aneurysm that had already ruptured. He was lucky to be alive, much less to be able to communicate.”

The days that followed were a full of ups and downs. Two surgeries appeared successful at first, but eventually bleeding in his brain and vasospasms – spasms in Matt’s arteries – led doctors to place Matt in an induced coma to give his brain time to heal. While he was in a coma, he had an ischemic stroke.

SIDEBAR: Mothering Through Tragedy

“They told us to expect when he woke up that he would never walk or speak,” Reda says. “They gave him a two percent chance of functioning again. I couldn’t accept that.”

The youngest of three boys, Matt was a consummate jokester and often the life of the party among a large group of friends and family. He had always been active with a good sense of humor. He was talented musically and a gifted performer. He went to college and had a job. He was a father. To think that he would not walk or talk again were unimaginable consequences of the aneurysm and stroke.

Matt spent 30 days in the intensive care unit at a local hospital and then transferred to a long-term acute care hospital in Statesboro, Ga., a long drive for Matt’s Atlanta-based family. Every week, Reda would spend three days in a hotel in Statesboro so she could be with Matt. The rest of the week, she went back to Atlanta to care for Matt’s young daughter.

Always an advocate for her son, Reda began researching alternatives for Matt’s care. On Christmas Eve of 2013 – also her own birthday – Reda contacted Shepherd Center.

“I took a chance and called Shepherd Center on Christmas Eve, thinking for sure that no one would be there during the holidays,” Reda says. “I got (former access case manager) Cannon Peppers on the phone. He was so helpful and said he’d put us in touch with the right person.”

Next, Reda got a call from access case manager Kelly Williams. Kelly met Reda and Matt in Statesboro to evaluate him for admission to Shepherd Center.

“My first impression was that Reda is more than a caregiver for Matthew,” Kelly says. “She is his advocate and his cheerleader.”

Matt came to Shepherd Center in February 2014. In the months that followed, Matt underwent extensive speech, physical and occupational therapy in Shepherd Center's Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. He made steady gains, with Reda always by his side.

“Reda never expected that Matt would go back to exactly the way he was before, and she was accepting of that, while always finding joy in the milestones he’s reached, ” Kelly says. “She truly lives in the present. The reason Matt continues to improve is because of the love and strength of his mother.”

Matt stayed at Shepherd Center through May 2014, when he moved to Shepherd Pathways, Shepherd Center’s post-acute outpatient rehabilitation program for people recovering from brain injuries. He also recently had tendon transfer surgery done by Allan Peljovich, M.D., MPH, a consulting orthopedic surgeon at Shepherd Center.

“I knew immediately that Shepherd Center was the right place for Matt,” Reda recalls. “Everyone there has that same spirit we had of ‘don’t give up.’ Other places had spent a lot of time telling us all of the things Matthew wouldn’t be able to do. At Shepherd Center, they talked more about the things he could do.”

Matt lives with Reda, his dad Willie and his daughter Janiyah. He continues therapy from home. His favorite thing to do is watch reality TV shows – with his mother.

SIDEBAR: Mothering Through Tragedy: Tips from a Mom Who’s Been There

1. Take things as they come. “The first time I met [Shepherd Center co-founder] James Shepherd, I told him I was taking things day by day,” Reda recalls. “He encouraged me to slow down and take things minute by minute and hour by hour. That advice helped me through some of our tougher days when the progress seemed slow.”
2. Find your support system. Support systems can come in all shapes and sizes. “You might find that your circle gets smaller when something like this happens,” Reda says. “Seek out the people who accept you and your family as you are. You don’t need a whole army of people – just those who will stick by you.” Reda has found comfort in their church family.
3. Make time for yourself. Find ways to sneak in time for yourself, your mind and your body. “When I drop off my granddaughter at dance class or swim lessons, I use that time to go for a walk. That’s my time.” Reda also volunteers at a local elementary school. Reda finds enrichment in the total change of scenery and pace.
4. Find things that keep you positive. Reda has several songs she knows lift both her and Matt’s moods. “It’s all about staying positive,” Reda says. “I always remind Matthew and myself that where we are today is not where we’re going to be tomorrow. When I play certain songs, he knows we’re not going to spend any more time being negative.”

By Kerry Ludlam
 

This is the fourth year in a row that Shepherd Center has received the grant, which enables the hospital to provide complimentary, round-trip airline tickets to families in need so they can travel to be with their loved one undergoing specialized spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation care at Shepherd Center.

Receiving world-class medical attention is more attainable when the cost of travel is not an issue, according to Southwest Airlines, which is providing more than $3.2 million in free transportation to caregivers and patients seeking medical treatment. Shepherd Center will receive $60,000 worth of free travel – in the form of 300 one-way vouchers – for patients and families for 2016. The full list of organizations receiving grants in 2016 is available here. Since the Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant Program's inception in 2007, more than $19.6 million in free transportation has been distributed to organizations in 26 states.

"Southwest Airlines has a nearly 45-year tradition of treating our Employees and Customers like family. Families support each other during both good and challenging times, and we're honored to be able to serve our communities during a time of great need," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. "The opportunity to connect someone to the things that are most important in their life drives us to find a network of hospitals and organizations that support this mission and provide the best possible treatment to their patients."

Anna Elmers, M.D., a staff physiatrist at Shepherd Center, emphasizes how important it is to a patient's recovery to have their loved ones nearby. "Southwest Airlines' Medical Transportation Grant Program has been a wonderful way of allowing family members to see their loved ones who are undergoing rehabilitation at Shepherd Center," she said. "Having loved ones near provides the patient with important emotional support during their recovery. We are so thankful for our partnership with Southwest!"

After brain injury, many couples go through dramatic relationship changes. Some of these changes can be in responsibilities, roles, communication, personality, and physical or sexual intimacy. Because of the role changes and the added stress from these changes, it is important to learn new ways of connecting after brain injury. So let’s take this Valentine’s Day and think about how to reconnect.

Communication is key.

• Set aside a time. it can be as little as five to 10 minutes to an hour – where you and your partner can take a break from responsibility to connect as a couple. Depending on the severity of the brain injury, this time may be spent sitting quietly and touching a shoulder, hand and face.
• Listen patiently to one another. The listening may be non-verbal. Perhaps a gesture, nod, eye contact or touch.
• Compliment rather than criticize. This can range from “Your eyes are so pretty” to complimenting your partner either verbally or non-verbally on the changing roles and responsibilities your partner has taken on.
• Show appreciation. Thank one another for all that your partner does. It can be as simple as making you smile or as difficult as making a meal.
• Laugh together. See the humor in the most outrageous situation and join together in laughter.
• Acknowledge role changes. Be respectful of how your partner does the role differently or ask your partner’s advice on how they performed the role. Compliment your partner to adapting to changing roles.
• Connect. Physical connection can range from a gentle kiss, lying next to one another, touching and sex. Both partners need to be in agreement how much physical connection he/she finds comfortable or comforting. Be respectful of your partner’s comfort level.

Now that you have some connection suggestions, try taking at least five minutes a day to try one of these reconnection tips so every day can be Valentine’s Day!

TERRI KOHN, LPC, is a counselor in Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. She has practiced counseling at Shepherd Center for 18 years. Terri has a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling.

“It’s amazing that she’s walking already and so much stronger when she sits down,” said her sister, Nancy McMorran, 58, also of Wexford.

“Yeah,” joked brother Jim McMorran, 66, of Warren, Ohio. “Her flopping days are over.”

Jim leaned over and gently slapped hands with Sharon. Niece Jennifer Osterrieder, 40, of Gibsonia, Penn., handed her a cup of water.

Sharon sustained a C-5 incomplete spinal cord injury in a fall this past October on Little Tybee Island, Ga. Nancy and another sister, Joyce McMorran Smith, 52 of Concord, N.C., were with her at the time, and members of the family have been at her side every day since.

On Thanksgiving, that number will rise to 10 as the McMorran clan gathers first at a local restaurant and later in the hospital’s family lounge for what promises to be a rousing celebration. “We’ve also invited families of patients who don’t have anywhere else to go,” Nancy said. “It’s going to be quite a gathering.”

“It’s going to be one of the largest family groups we’ve ever had here,” said Tammy Arnold, Sharon’s case manager in the Shepherd Center Spinal Cord Injury Unit.

There are five McMorran siblings in all – including sister Diane Barker, 68, who also lives in Wexford and has been to Shepherd Center with husband Grant to support Sharon – and they are very close, Joyce said. Diane, Sharon and Nancy often drive an hour to have dinner with Jim and his wife Karen midway between Wexford – a Pittsburgh suburb – and Jim’s home. In the summer, the entire family gathers in West Virginia for what they call McMorran Outrageous Outings – or MOO.

“Thanksgiving might be a MOO extraordinare,” Sharon said. “It’s amazing they are willing to travel this far and spend time with me.”

When Sharon was injured, her family hoped her rehabilitation would take place near Pittsburgh. But therapists and nurses at Memorial University Medical Center, the Savannah, Ga., hospital where she was initially treated, urged her to come to Shepherd Center.

Now, the McMorrans are thankful she did.

“I can’t even begin to describe this place,” Sharon said. “The equipment, the atmosphere, the trained staff, the way they go about your rehab. . . . I’ve had visits from kind, caring people and found out later it was a vice president or someone on the board of directors. There’s a culture of caring here, and it feels like one big family. I feel God led me to this place.”

Nancy echoed: “It’s an amazing place. The minute we walked in the door, it felt like family – from the people who mop the floor to (co-founder) Mrs. (Alana) Shepherd. And everyone is so supportive. We were talking to people whose daughter is here, and they said, ‘We’re cheering for Sharon like she’s our own daughter.’”

“We love it,” Joyce added. “We want to live and work and volunteer here.”

The sisters have contributed to the atmosphere by introducing themselves to everyone and celebrating at any opportunity, whether it’s a holiday or the graduation of a patient from the hospital’s inpatient program.

“We call them the Golden Girls,” Tammy said of the sisters. “They are hilarious. We had a big party at Halloween, and Nancy dressed up as a witch, Joyce was Spider Lady and Sharon wore a luau outfit. They jumped right in.”

Asked if she enjoyed it, Sharon said, “Oh, it was such a blast!”

“That’s not something you expect to hear from someone with a spinal cord injury,” Nancy said.

“We’re not wallowers,” Joyce explained. “We’re not interested in pity. We didn’t want this to happen to Sharon, but she said, ‘This happened, and we’re going to do what we can to get better and figure out what’s next.’”

Sharon attributes her rapid progress in rehabilitation to her therapists, who encourage her to try things that initially seem impossible.

“I think, ‘No way,’ and two days later, what seemed impossible is a snap,” Sharon said. “The therapists truly care about the patients, and the patients root each other on. It’s amazing.”

Niece Jennifer commented that during her visit, “I’ve been hearing the word ‘amazing’ a lot,” and Jim pointed out that Sharon has been smiling a lot.

“I’m grateful,” Sharon said. “I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.”

Written by John Christensen
Photos by Louie Favorite

It started out normal enough.

The 45-year-old Atlanta, Ga., resident rose early, drove a relative to the airport and returned home to participate in a conference call for work. When the phone call was over, Roger, who felt like he had a slight cold, went back to bed. That’s the last memory he has of Dec. 29, 2014.

“My boys heard me hit the ground. I didn’t know I hit the ground. And they called the paramedics,” Roger recalls.

Roger’s four sons were staying with him that day. They typically stay with their mother, Roger’s former wife, but the teen-aged boys had been visiting for the Christmas holidays. Their presence likely saved his life.

It was 16-year-old Cyon Brathwaite and 18-year-old Carrington Brathwaite who first found Roger, lying face down, sweating and unconscious.

“I had gone downstairs to get him water, and I heard a big thud, so I ran back upstairs and he was on the floor,” recalls Cyon, describing the frightening morning that forever changed his family’s life. “At first, I thought he just fell. But he was actually going through the process of a stroke. So we woke up my older brother Chandler. He came upstairs trying to talk to my dad to see what was wrong. And then he told me to go in the other room and pray.”

Cyon went into his little brother Chase’s bedroom, trying to calm his young sibling while also quietly praying, scared and wondering whether his father would survive.

Roger was rushed to Piedmont Hospital and lapsed into a coma. He had experienced a hemorrhagic stroke that affected the left side of his brain, leaving the right side of his body paralyzed. His sons, meanwhile, worked to remain optimistic that their father, a man they knew to be a hard worker and a fighter, would pull through.

After three weeks, Roger awoke and learned the details of his new reality. It is a day he will not soon forget.

“I was emotional to say the least,” he recalls. “It’s hard to explain the layers of emotions. It’s mind-numbing because the whole right side of your body doesn’t work anymore, and this is something you’ve been used to having for 44 years. I didn’t know how long it would last. I didn’t have any answers. Doctors couldn’t tell me when I was going to come out of it, or if I was going to come out of it. I cried for most of the day. Being in a wheelchair and having people bathe you, that reminds you: This is real.”

Once he was stabilized, Roger was admitted to Shepherd Center, where he participated in inpatient physical, occupational, speech and recreation therapy followed by additional day program therapy at Shepherd Pathways.

After three and a half months, Roger reached a milestone in his recovery. On that day, Roger put away his wheelchair for good.

“Roger is phenomenal,” says Payal Fadia, M.D., his physician at Shepherd Pathways. “He was extremely hard-working and determined in therapy. He continually strives to reach milestones in his recovery.”

Just this week, six months after his collapse, Roger reached another important marker in his journey: He completed rehabilitation altogether. While Roger still considers himself a work in progress, with his goals for the future including continuing to strengthen his right side and improve his verbal skills, his focus has now happily shifted to improving the smaller, finer details.

“I’m fully operational,” he says. “I can walk, I can talk. I can write my name now, but I can’t write it beautifully like I used to.”

The precariousness of his existence during the past six months has made this Father’s Day particularly meaningful for Roger and his family. He is here, alive and well, able to celebrate the day with his sons – something more valuable than the high-powered career and pursuit of the corner office at a Fortune 500 company that had been a dominant focus of Roger’s life until his stroke.

Roger and his sons will mark Father’s Day not by going out to eat or for a boat ride – activities they have typically participated in together over the years. Instead, this year, they will walk together at The Atlanta Beltline in a subdued, but particularly meaningful, celebration of Roger’s long journey back.

“My goal is not necessarily to walk the entire three-mile walk, but just to have a good time with them, laughing and joking and just being together enjoying the day,” Roger says.

His sons are equally cognizant of the poignancy of this year’s celebration, well aware they almost lost their dad. They are also proud of all the progress he has made, calling him a diligent, but humble fighter.

“We could have not had a father this year,” says 20-year-old Chandler Brathwaite.

“The fact that we still do, and that he recovered from something that many people don’t recover from, is a blessing. So, this Father’s Day will be more special than all the others.”

Cyon adds: “It’s a miracle. It’s kinda crazy that on the day he had his stroke, we were there. I think we all played a part in saving his life.”

For more information on Shepherd Center’s stroke rehabilitation programs, visit shepherd.org/stroke.

Written by Mia Taylor
Photos Courtesy of Roger Brathwaite

Q. In what way(s) do you feel Shepherd Center's housing program helps fulfill the hospital's mission?

A. I think our housing program adds another important layer to Shepherd Center's commitment to helping patients and families rebuild their lives under life-changing circumstances. So many of the new families who arrive are exhausted, bewildered and overwhelmed. When we open the door to the apartment where they will be staying, they are overcome with emotion at the small oasis our housing program provides. It’s difficult to measure the value that kind of support brings them.

Q. What do you enjoy most about coming to work every day at Shepherd Center, and about overseeing the housing program, in particular? 

A. I love that each day is going to be totally different from the next. I have a great staff, and they are willing to help whenever they are asked. They genuinely love interacting with patients and their families, striving simply to make the day better for our guests. Meeting each new challenge and finding a solution to it is very rewarding.

Q. What is the biggest change or development you've seen in the housing program during your tenure?

A. We see so many new families arrive from all over the world now. To me, this just affirms Shepherd Center’s reputation as one of the best! I just had a family come to my office, and they live in England and have returned for three weeks of Beyond Therapy^®. The mother said her son, after returning home, had regressed and that there just wasn't the therapy in England available for him to improve, so they returned to Shepherd Center. Everyone wants the very best for their loved ones, and once they've experienced Shepherd Center, they know they made the right choice.

Q. What do you do when you’re not overseeing Shepherd Center’s housing program?

A. Arrange flowers. I had a flower-arranging business with a friend for a number of years. We did weddings and other events. I’ve been co-chair of the flower guild at my church for about 14 years and enjoy creating some of the arrangements and decorations around the Shepherd Center campus. I also love to cook, and I love to travel. I’m very active in my church, Cathedral of St. Philip, and value the way my work at Shepherd Center ties into that. I believe we all serve in different ways, and I find a lot of spiritual meaning in serving families through the housing program.

FUN FACTS

Gardening

Denson attributes her love of gardening to her British husband’s mother and father, who she says were masterful gardeners, planting and harvesting a seemingly endless variety of flowers and vegetables across their English landscape. She competed and lectured for years at the Southeastern Flower Show.

Travel

Denson loves to travel and counts Italy and Spain among her favorite destinations. As a college student, she attended school in Paris and London. The most exotic and eye-opening country she has visited? India.

Community Involvement

Denson and her architect husband were part of the 1980s effort to save Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. She says they occasionally spent the night there in order to protect the landmark from after-hours demolition.

Interviewed by Shawn Reeves
Photos by Gary Meek

“It’s really an extension of Shepherd Center’s mission to care for the patient,” Denson says of the program. “The families we serve are often overwhelmed when we meet them, so if we can help relieve their worry over where to stay while their family member is a patient here, then that’s an important part of providing complete care.”

One of the families who has benefited from Shepherd Center's housing program is the Clark family from eastern North Carolina. Brad and Rachel Clark, along with their seven children ranging in age at the time of their visit from 1 to 19, occupied a suite at the Irene and George Woodruff Family Residence Center during Brad’s rehabilitation following a spinal cord injury he sustained in a cycling accident.

“It was a really hard time, and Shepherd Center made it as easy on us as they could,” Rachel says. “Our apartment was a two-minute walk from Brad’s room in the hospital, and I can’t tell you how comforting it was to be so close.

“Shepherd Center’s housing program also means families don’t have to break the bank on housing,” she adds. “I can’t even imagine trying to locate housing in the midst of everything else we were going through. To have that level of support is simply priceless.”

That is precisely the purpose of Shepherd Center housing, says Shepherd Center President and CEO Gary Ulicny, Ph.D. It removes the financial and logistical burdens of finding accommodations so families can more easily transition from an acute-care setting elsewhere to rehabilitation at Shepherd Center.

“A big part of serving the patient is supporting the patient’s family,” Dr. Ulicny says. “If we can help lift some of the pressure families feel in an already-stressful situation, then we want to do that for their sake and for the sake of our patients. The housing program is one measure of doing exactly that.”

The value of Shepherd Center’s housing program isn’t lost on families who benefit from it, Denson says. “Families come here, they make friendships, they relax and often they want to show their appreciation in some way,” she says. “Sometimes, they fix things or help water the plants. They want to contribute something, no matter how small, as their way of saying ‘thanks.’”

Shepherd Center offers three locations for family housing:

The Irene and George Woodruff Family Residence Center

• 84 accessible suites located on the Shepherd Center campus. The Irene and George Woodruff Family Residence Center offers fully equipped housing units, whose amenities include free WiFi, a tranquil garden, pool tables, grills, games, toys and DVDs.

Biscayne Apartments

• 24 studio apartments one-half mile north of Shepherd Center

Shepherd Place

• 12 accessible apartments one-quarter mile north of Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center’s Delores Ann and Goodloe Yancey Family Housing program is funded entirely through donations. For information on making a gift to support this invaluable program, please visit shepherd.org/foundation, or call Dean Melcher at (404) 350-7306.

Written by Shawn Reeves
Photos by Louie Favorite