“Memory loss does not mean loss of intelligence.”

After my stroke, I learned something I had never really thought about before: memory loss is not just a medical issue — it's a social one.

People notice memory problems quickly. You repeat something, forget something, lose your train of thought, and the reaction is almost immediate. People start to assume. They don’t always say it out loud, but you feel it. They talk to you differently. They explain things differently. It’s like the moment memory slips, people believe everything else has slipped with it.

That assumption isn’t always true.

My stroke was a hemorrhagic stroke — what is known as an acquired brain injury (ABI). It didn’t come from a fall or an accident. It came from inside my body. What it left me with was not a loss of who I am or how I think. What it left me with, among other things, was some difficulty with short-term memory and fully remembering who I have been.

And that’s where the misunderstanding starts.

Because when people hear “memory loss,” many of them think of dementia. They assume decline. They assume confusion. They assume everything is fading.

But memory loss after a brain injury is not the same thing as dementia.

Dementia is generally progressive. It can affect memory over time, along with judgment, reasoning, language, and independence. Brain injuries — like stroke or traumatic brain injury — are different. They usually come from a specific event. They can leave real challenges, but for many people, those challenges are often specific physical or cognitive functions. You might struggle with memory, but still think clearly, make decisions, and understand the world around you.

I know that difference firsthand. I’m living it.

What made that difference even clearer was the kind of treatment I received. At Shepherd Center and later through Shepherd Pathways, everything was focused on recovery and adaptation. Therapy wasn’t about expecting decline — it was about improving function, rebuilding independence, and learning how to work through what had changed.

That matters.

Because it reinforces something that doesn’t always get said clearly:

Memory loss does not equal loss of intelligence.

At the same time, this experience has also shown me something else.

Even though the medical differences between dementia and brain injury are real, people don’t always treat them differently in everyday life. If someone forgets things or struggles to keep up, the response can look the same regardless of the cause.

That’s where my perspective changed.

This experience has given me a deeper sense of empathy — not just for people living with dementia, but also for the caregivers around them. Caregivers are often trying to help while dealing with uncertainty, stress, and incomplete information. They may not fully understand what’s happening neurologically, but they’re still navigating it every day.

And that’s not a failure — that’s reality.

Once you understand that, it becomes easier to see why frustration shows up on both sides — patients and caregivers alike.

That’s why support matters. Education matters. Sharing our perspectives matters.

Because sometimes the issue isn’t just memory loss itself — it’s what people assume memory loss means.

If there is one thing I hope people take from this, it’s simple:

Not all memory loss is the same — and it doesn’t mean a person has lost who they are.

Marcus M. Johnson, Jr. is a stroke survivor and former Shepherd Center patient. Drawing from both personal experience and research, he writes about brain injury, recovery, and the importance of understanding memory loss beyond common misconceptions.

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

“It was all cascading.” 

That’s how Josh Russo describes his life in 2024. He was preparing to retire from the military, where he spent most of his 21-year career in special operations for the U.S. Army. Neuropathy in his right leg was so debilitating and painful that he had required a wheelchair, and he was experiencing depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations. 

“I felt out of control, like I was on a speeding train that I couldn’t get off,” Josh says. “It made me self-isolate and not want to be around anyone, including my family.” 

On the recommendation of a nurse case manager, he came to Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative in November 2024. 

“I had been trying to get help,” Josh remembers, “but nothing was working. I wasn’t sure SHARE would either.” 

Josh spent eight weeks working on pain management, physical mobility, and learning how to regulate his emotions. He had three goals: to better understand his symptoms and why he was experiencing them, show up more at home, and build a life beyond the military. 

Physical therapy helped with the neuropathy, as well as some chronic neck and shoulder pain he had as a result of several military deployments. He worked with a neuropsychologist on his emotional issues. 

Josh says one of the most helpful things was having his wife and three children come to Shepherd during his treatment so they could all learn about what he was experiencing and ways they could help each other. 

“All of us benefited from that,” he says. “We all came away with a better understanding of my symptoms and ways we could work as a team in managing everything.” 

By the end of the program, Josh felt physically and mentally stronger and ready for his next chapter. 

In March 2025, Josh retired from active duty and began consulting — work that has opened the door to new entrepreneurial opportunities. Though he calls himself a “work in progress,” he is better equipped to manage pain, stay connected, and keep moving forward. 

“SHARE allowed me to step back and understand what was happening and identify clear pathways to navigate through it,” Josh says. “I had never encountered that level of care and client-focused continuity of care that I experienced there. It’s a world-class program.” 

Written by Sara Baxter 
 

Christy Cogley knows what to expect with a concussion. She’s had 10 of them in her lifetime. 

Her past concussions were from sports injuries, car accidents, and other incidents. But the last one she sustained in June 2025 was different. Her memory of what happened is fuzzy. She believes she got out of bed to check on her dog. Christy only remembers feeling a painful hit to the back of her head then waking up on the floor. Over the next few hours, she felt nauseated and very sweaty. She went to the emergency department, where doctors confirmed a concussion. 

Unlike her past concussions, her symptoms lingered and worsened. Her headaches were more severe. She found herself stuttering, forgetting names and general information, and experiencing vision problems. A return trip to the emergency department showed nothing out of the ordinary. With no relief, Christy was beginning to feel despair. Completing everyday tasks was a challenge. 

Her primary care doctor recommended Shepherd Center’s Complex Concussion Clinic (CCC). In July 2025, she met with Russell Gore, M.D., the clinic’s medical director. She says that meeting changed everything. 

“Dr. Gore spent at least 45 minutes just listening and educating me about concussions” she says. “He saw me as a whole person, not just somebody with a concussion. He was so patient, so kind, and gave me science-based information. I left there feeling so much better.” 

Christy, who is the director of exam operations for a licensing association, spent the next few months in cognitive therapy to improve memory and daily task management, speech therapy to reduce stuttering and regain voice control, and physical therapy to regain her balance. She learned strategies to compensate for her symptoms. During her treatment, Dr. Gore also detected an unrelated vision problem and dysautonomia and referred her to specialists. 

“I felt like a weight was lifted off of me,” Christy says of her experience. “Everyone was so reassuring and compassionate. They never minimized what I was experiencing.” 

Christy says she has learned to give herself grace and honor the healing process and says she would advise others to do the same. Being a former collegiate and professional basketball player working harder was always her answer, but she now knows that “working harder doesn’t equal quicker healing. It sometimes prolongs it.” 

Now, almost a year later, Christy says she is “back on track.” Her headaches are less frequent, and her balance and vision have improved. She continues to visit the clinic to work with an occupational therapist and is forever grateful for her care at the CCC. 

“The Concussion Clinic is an amazing place,” Christy says. “The staff listens to you and shares their expertise with you. They are committed to everyone healing.” 

Written by Sara Baxter
 

When Keylan Watkins returned home to Chattanooga, Tennessee, from Shepherd Center, his mother, LaToya, took him to Erlanger Hospital to show them how far he’d come. 

“I wanted them to see the miracle Shepherd created,” LaToya says. 

Four months earlier, on June 2, 2023, Keylan, then 12, sustained a traumatic brain injury when he fell off an all-terrain vehicle. He was in the pediatric intensive care unit at Erlanger for 35 days, where doctors were unsure of Keylan’s prognosis. After learning about Shepherd Center from a caseworker, LaToya and Keylan arrived by ambulance to start his rehabilitation. 

Keylan was using a feeding tube and was unable to walk, talk, or eat. But he slowly made progress. 

“I was optimistic about his chance for recovery, but I also doubtful because of what the doctors had told me,” LaToya says. 

That doubt of Keylan having a successful recovery faded during their first week at Shepherd Center. 

“He was standing more, reacting more, and began remembering things,” she remembers. “I knew we were in the right place and that things would be okay.” 

In Shepherd Center’s Adolescent Rehabilitation Program, Keylan enjoyed being with other kids close to his age, socializing, playing games, and shooting baskets in the gym. 

“It was fun and took my mind off of what I was going through,” Keylan says. He set small goals for himself – like walking down the hall on his own – and surpassed them all. 

After 46 days at Shepherd Center and a few weeks at outpatient rehabilitation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Keylan returned home in October 2023 and began seventh grade. 

Now 15, Keylan is a freshman in high school. His doctors have discouraged playing sports because of the risk of head injury, but he stays busy off the field. He is happy just “chilling with his friends,” and has a job running the scoreboard and keeping the stats for basketball games at the Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department, where LaToya also works. He is also training to be an umpire for softball games. 

Keylan and LaToya are both grateful for Shepherd Center. 

“I loved everything about Shepherd Center,” LaToya says. “It was such a family atmosphere. I tell everyone it is an amazing place and they create miracles.” 

Written by Sara Baxter 
 

Thanksgiving 2020 started like normal for Teona Osborne, 36.

“My kids and I were getting ready to start cooking,” Teona explains. “But when I went to get up, my legs wouldn’t move. I was terrified and confused.”

Teona, who lives in Dallas, Georgia, was rushed to Wellstar Cobb Hospital. Despite many tests over several months, no clear cause of paralysis came to light. Teona saw a neurologist at Emory University Hospital, and again, testing came back normal.

“The theory was that COVID had affected my spine, but they couldn’t say for sure because nothing showed up,” Teona says. “Life had changed for me in an instant, and I didn’t know how to process it. But I have two kids who rely on me, so I went into survival mode.”

Always a go-getter who doesn’t let obstacles slow her down, Teona knew she needed to get her body as strong as possible and learn to drive while using a wheelchair. Her physical therapy team at Emory referred her to Shepherd Center for more specialized care.

Teona started Shepherd’s Driving Evaluation and Rehabilitation Program.

“I needed to learn how to break down my wheelchair to get it in and out of the car by myself. The team showed me different adaptive driving equipment, and I practiced inside the facility and in an actual car on the road.”

Teona passed the driving test and traded her large truck for a smaller car, so it was easier to get in and out. Getting the car made a huge difference in her day-to-day life.

“My son does football and other sports, and my daughter does gymnastics and cheerleading. Being able to drive helped them keep going with their regular lives even though this huge change had happened to us,” Teona says.

Prior to losing mobility in her legs, Teona was a preschool teacher at a daycare. She decided to take time away from this physically demanding job, instead putting her efforts toward completing her degree.

“Being able to drive allowed me to go back and finish college. I graduated in December 2025 with a bachelor’s in education,” Teona says.

Teona’s outgoing spirit has helped her get stronger, too. Through physical therapy and exercise at Shepherd Center’s ProMotion Fitness Center, Teona has learned more about what her body is capable of.

“I feel stronger and way more independent,” she says. “The Shepherd team worked around my school schedule, especially my main therapist, Drew Oswald. They wanted me to graduate. I’d be working out, and my therapist would help with my homework. They saw the whole me, not just the patient me.”

Teona even took advantage of Shepherd’s recreation therapy offerings and tried adaptive golf and cycling.

“To me, it’s important to not give up and find a way. I didn’t know I could ride a bike, but they showed me there is a way. Live life to the fullest.”

Teona has accomplished so much since losing mobility in her legs, but she isn’t stopping anytime soon. Her next big goal: get an accessible minivan and find a fulltime teaching job using her degree. Teona explains that having to disassemble and assemble her manual wheelchair is time consuming and very difficult when the weather isn’t cooperating.

“A wheelchair-accessible vehicle would completely transform my daily life. I could use my electric wheelchair to simply roll into the vehicle on a ramp, giving me the freedom to reliably and safely go to a full-time job.”

Teona is determined to make her goals a reality, something she encourages others to do as well.

“I’m strong-minded. I tell my students, if Ms. T didn’t give up, you can’t either! Now I say that to everybody. Keep pushin’.”

Written by Damjana Alverson

Darryl Tillman, 43, describes himself as fun, creative, and athletic. He loves sports, spending time with family, music, and last, but certainly not least, cooking.

In July 2024, Darryl was in a motorcycle crash that resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee. After 12 days at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, nine of those in the ICU, he transferred to Shepherd’s Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit (CRU).

“Before starting rehab, honestly, I didn't know what life was going to be like,” says Darryl, who lives in Covington, Georgia.

Darryl and his care team got right to work, starting with the basics, like practicing transfers to his wheelchair using a slide board, and building skills from there.

“The most rewarding was when I was able to go to the gym on the third floor, and I stood up for the first time. Carol [Ardanowski, PT, Darryl’s physical therapist] also took me down to the garden,” Darryl recalls. “We were outside, and I just started crying. I was like, ‘I haven't seen outside in two weeks, and I'm normally outside all the time.’"

As Darryl grew stronger, his occupational therapist, Jena Kelly, OTR/L, asked him about things he did before his injury that he’d like to do again. Cooking was at the top of the list. So, Darryl wheeled his way to the grocery store with Kelly by his side, and shopped for ingredients for chicken alfredo, which he prepared in Shepherd’s I Can Studio adaptive kitchen. Darryl’s wife was able to join them for the meal.

“That was definitely rewarding because that's like one of my love languages,” Darryl says. “When I cook, I like to see the expressions on people's faces. I like to hear people say, ‘Oh, man, this is good.’"

Darryl recalls Kelly’s response when he expressed doubt about returning to another of his passions, being a DJ.

“She was like, ‘You can do everything that you used to do before. It's just going to look a little different.’"

Soon after, Darryl was DJing for the patients in the CRU gym.

“Everybody was just having a blast,” he recalls.

After discharging from inpatient rehabilitation, Darryl got fitted for a prosthetic leg and returned to Shepherd for outpatient therapy.

He also served as DJ for Kelly’s wedding and later for an event at Shepherd Center.

“Now, I just put my leg on, and I walk around the house. I cook, I cut the grass … I think I heard a mentor say, ‘Your condition is not your conclusion.’ So you have to give yourself grace and just continue to work hard, and every day it's going to get better, but it all starts in the mind.”

To hear Darryl’s story in his own words, check out his video in the “Stories of Hope” video series.

Written by Ruth Underwood

The magazine highlights the care team that supported hockey player Jackson Drum throughout his inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation at Shepherd Center. Jackson, who is originally from Minnesota, sustained an SCI in a hockey game early this year.

The magazine also features stories about William Davidson, Shepherd’s director of engineering, Jonathan Horna, a Shepherd Smash wheelchair rugby athlete, recaps of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race and Project Rollway, and an explainer on Shepherd Center’s spooky season traditions, just in time for Halloween.

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

After Les made it through a high-risk surgery, his doctors said he should transfer to a spinal cord injury rehabilitation hospital. So, his daughter, Codi, began researching and asking professionals what their next move should be.

“I began asking every case worker, surgeon, nurse, and each person with the slightest bit of medical background I came across — if they were in this situation, where would they want to be taken?” Codi explains. “The answer was nearly unanimous. ‘Take him to Shepherd Center in Georgia.’”

That’s exactly what they did. At Shepherd, medical professionals determined that Les’ spinal cord injury was incomplete and that he had also sustained a traumatic brain injury. Les and his medical team got to work, and he began progressing in his rehabilitation. As the months passed, and Les graduated from the inpatient program to the Spinal Cord Injury Day Program, his sense of humor never faltered, and he and Codi relied on their knack for connecting with others to create meaningful relationships with staff and patients.

“We spent every Tuesday evening sitting and having family dinners with everyone, including [Shepherd Center co-founder] Mrs. Alana Shepherd, who always came with a fun conversation, but our closest bond was with her granddaughter, Julie,” Codi says. “My dad is a serious animal lover. So, when he needed cheering up, Julie would come by with Lanza [one of Shepherd’s facility dogs]. Of course, Dad and Lanza became best buddies, and in the process, Julie did too.”

For Les’ family, those who had been strangers mere months ago were now even closer than friends. They became family.

“We got to know staff from housekeeping to the coffee kiosk and patients from all over,” Codi says. “When you're there as long as we were and surrounded by people whose lives are also getting flipped upside down, everyone quickly becomes an extension of your family. We've created a lifelong family at Shepherd.”

Today, Les has made spectacular progress and has returned home to his farm with his wife and daughter. But Codi felt she could not leave without a formal goodbye. She wrote a letter recapping some of the firsts she shared with her dad during his recovery at Shepherd Center.

 Excerpts from her letter to Shepherd are below:

Though Dad won't say goodbye until the end of the week, today, I say goodbye (for now) to Atlanta.

I wasn't expecting to be as emotional about this as I am. I wasn't expecting to leave without an hour-long thank-you, hug, and tears galore for each and every person who's touched our lives. But alas, here we are, so that must mean this isn't "goodbye" forever.

A third of my year has been spent here, and though sometimes it feels like only a blip, most of the time, it feels like years. I'll miss these people.

The people who have taught me more about myself than I could ever imagine, who have guided this journey, who have held my hand. 

The people who selflessly devote their lives to the families inside these walls.

I've laughed, cried, and shared so much "life" with this new family we've acquired.

I've learned about their children, met their families, hung out with them, and had countless talks over coffee.

They've even learned how Grammy is DEFINITELY making a scrapbook of her visits, gotten to know about her "silver sneakers" group, and seen firsthand where Dad's personality comes from. We've shared meals, swapped stories, cried together, and made each other laugh like crazy.

These are the people that saved my dad.

VCU did the footwork in the beginning and kept him with us, but Shepherd has given him life.

Dignity. Love. Independence (and even a doctorate degree, if you ask him 😜).

You know how parents track babies with milestones?

Caretakers do, too... DAUGHTERS do, too.

-First time in a wheelchair

-First lunch at a table in the cafeteria

-First Easter 

-First time moving legs again with the NuStep

-First time playing cards to gain back some memory

-First time sitting up by himself

-First time learning to balance on the edge of a surface

-First time navigating life outside of a hospital

-First day transferring without a Hoyer

-First day playing games outside again

-First Memorial Day 

-First day navigating society via a farmer's market outing

-First time walking Annie

-First time doing yoga

-First time driving a track chair

-First time out to dinner as a family

-First time putting on pants without help

-First Project Rollway

-First time driving a manual chair

-First time picking up his own legs

-First time laying on his stomach

-First time on the tilt table

-First time cooking

-First Father's Day

-First custom wheelchair (x2)

-First standing frame 

-First Peachtree Road Race

-First July 4th

-First time on the news

-First time being appointed Mayor

-First time getting in and out of a car

-First (and soon second) Graduation

-First time navigating an apartment

-First time getting in and out of bed

-First time "scooting" around at the zoo

-First time in the pool

-First time walking in the pool

-First time walking on the Lokomat

...the list goes on and on! 

When we got here, our lives looked a lot different. They still do, but my, how he's grown! I'm so proud of how far my dad's come since March, and I'm eager to see how far he'll go as he continues his recovery and rehabilitation in North Carolina. I'm grateful for our time at Shepherd, all the connections we've made, and the family we've gained, but I'm more excited to see how much progress we can make before we come back for a visit.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you who have supported us near and far. Especially our friends and family at Shepherd Center. Don't think I'm letting you go without your own personal sappy letter - I'm just a bit behind.

On to our next adventure!

See you soon, Carolina ✨

- Codi Southerland

Written by Lindsey Rieben

As JJ transferred from Memorial Health to Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, he was overwhelmed by the amount of support he received from family, friends, and his church community.

“People came out of the woodwork,” he says. “My now late stepdad started a GoFundMe, and people in the community I hadn’t talked to in a while came to see me. It was wild. All these people cared and pulled together to help me.”

One visitor was Chris Heitzman, a lifelong friend of JJ’s. Chris had insight into recovery at Shepherd Center because he had been a patient himself. Six years before JJ’s injury, Chris sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car crash and spent months in Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program.

“He gave me hope, especially at the time,” says JJ. “It was really mentally hard for me, and he gave me inspiration to not give up.”

Under the care of Wes Chay, M.D., JJ began making progress and developing habits that would help him lead a healthier lifestyle. He started attending outings with Shepherd Center’s recreation therapy program, which is funded by generous support from donors, to hone his outdoor skills, including hunting.

“After I left Shepherd Center, I started going hunting with the KT Team,” says JJ. “KT is a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities get back to the outdoors. That’s how I got hooked on turkey hunting. That’s basically all I hunt now.”

Through recreational therapy activities like hunting, JJ also found his calling to give back.

“I went back to my old fraternity house, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, at Georgia Southern, and there was an active brother there who uses a wheelchair,” JJ explains. “I was able to take him on a KT Team hunting trip as his guide, and that’s when it clicked in my heart that this is what I needed to do. I needed to pay it forward.”

From that point on, paying it forward was precisely what JJ did. He started searching for volunteer opportunities to reintegrate into the community including local chapters of Shriners and Masons. He also found joy in giving back to his church community by running sound and lighting and counseling middle and high school youth. Eventually, he joined Shepherd Center’s Junior Committee, a volunteer group of young professionals committed to advancing Shepherd Center’s mission through fundraising and volunteer opportunities. During that time, he was contacted by Chris’ family.

“Chris’ dad saw that I was volunteering and knew I was also looking for some way to support myself,” JJ says. “He asked how I would feel about becoming a caregiver for Chris. It was a godsend.”

With all the progress he had made, JJ felt confident in his ability to care for Chris and took classes to become his legal caregiver. Today, the two lean on each other for support and brotherhood, while JJ provides essential support to Chris. They go on outings like Atlanta Braves games, working out at the gym, and mini golf. JJ also assists Chris in getting to and from his job at Publix.

“Chris is just such a huge blessing,” JJ says. “He keeps me humble and reminds me every day of the blessings I have.”

One of those blessings, JJ says, is recreation therapy.

“Life is never the same after a traumatic injury,” JJ says. “Prayer, help from family and friends, and recreation therapy saved my life.”

Written by Lindsey Rieben.

“We are what’s called mirror twins,” Terry explains. “So, we are mirror images of each other. I’m a lefty, and she’s a righty, so if we held up our dominant hands, it would be like looking in a mirror. That’s how our symptoms presented, too.” 

It wasn’t until years later that Terry and Tamara would learn the cause of their symptoms – multiple sclerosis (MS). The emotional distress of their mother’s passing took a toll on their bodies, resulting in constant pain, visual changes, worsening fatigue, and body tingling. Still, it wasn’t until years later that Terry was diagnosed at 25, and Tamara was diagnosed at 30.

While the diagnosis was difficult, Terry and Tamara took a page from their mother’s book. Diagnosed at 33 with an aggressive form of cancer, their mother passed along her strength to her daughters.

“We were lucky to still be with her for 11 more years after her diagnosis,” Terry says. “She taught us to be resilient. She woke up every day with a smile on her face, so we woke up every day with a smile on our faces. That resiliency has gotten us a long way.”

When they were diagnosed, the twins were living across the country from one another; Tamara in San Francisco, California, and Terry in Atlanta, Georgia. Her primary care physician referred Terry to Shepherd Center’s Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute.

“That was my first experience of an MS center,” she says. “I remember being amazed because the nurse practitioner and doctor really listened. That’s part of what makes Shepherd so special — people really listen. It’s not like anywhere else.”

From there, Terry began taking part in Beyond Therapy®, an activity-based therapy program that aims to help people with a variety of neurological disorders improve their lifelong health and minimize secondary complications.

“I love Beyond Therapy,” Terry says. “I’m paralyzed from the waist down, so I don’t get upright often, but the Lokomat lets me get up and walk on a treadmill. I’m so grateful for that time and for the therapists there. They push you in such a kind way and always pivot based on where you are that day.”

While Terry continues her therapy with Shepherd Center in Atlanta, she stays close to her sister and the MS community through their website at twinscoast2coast.com and their social media channels. There, the twins create a safe space to share the stories, celebrations, and struggles of living with MS and advocate for people with the disease. They both volunteer with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, and Terry is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“At Twins Coast to Coast, our motto is to motivate, inspire, and educate,” says Terry. “We’ve lived with MS for so long that we can give back and give our experiences, and it means everything to be able to help someone else.”

 Written by Lindsey Rieben 

“I absolutely fell in love with it,” Michael explains. “The Marine Corps was everything.”

In 2004, during his first tour in Iraq, he started experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but was not officially diagnosed. Michael began to feel detached and started losing sleep after he witnessed a horrific helicopter crash involving multiple marines and sailors. His psychiatrist prescribed medication to help with the symptoms, but Michael still struggled.

“I would be missing parts of my day where I didn’t remember what I did,” Michael explains. “My career started suffering because I would fade out and come to and not remember what I did in between. I became more reckless. I would have nightmares at night and flashbacks during the day.”

When he returned home from Iraq in Spring 2005, Michael felt like a different person. He was taking several medications and seeing a psychiatrist who was not the right fit. During training for redeployment, he pinched his sciatic nerve. When his command discontinued his prescription for pain medicine suddenly, he experienced withdrawal and turned to alcohol.  

Before Michael was deployed to Iraq for a second time, he was diagnosed with PTSD.

 “I was sent on a convoy movement and hit my head on a machine gun mount. I was sent back to base, and I lost all sense of time and space.” 

As Michael transitioned out of the Marine Corps and back to civilian life, things got worse.

“I wanted to re-enlist, but everything declined. I began experiencing irritability, blurry vision, migraines, and I had issues troubleshooting,” he says. “Along with PTSD, I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. I ended up homeless at a truck stop in California until my stepdad found out I was homeless and drove me home to Maine.”

In Maine, Michael continued to abuse alcohol and became homeless again before moving back in with his mother and meeting his wife in 2014. In 2015, he sustained another traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a moped crash that resulted in a three-week medically induced coma, which led his medical team to take him off his medication.

“They were just focused on keeping me alive,” says Michael. “But with the withdrawal from the medication, I was in a deep hole and was very depressed.”

Michael and his wife knew it was time to do something when his depression led him to consider suicide. The couple called Semper Fi and America’s Fund, and within 48 hours, a representative visited and connected him with Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative. This comprehensive rehabilitation program delivers world-class, interdisciplinary care at no cost to veterans, service members, and first responders dealing with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and mental health concerns.

While Michael attended SHARE, he learned the positive effect of exercise on his mental and physical health. A few years after he graduated from SHARE, he began experiencing a need to move constantly, so he returned to SHARE to find a healthy, balanced exercise routine. 

“SHARE helped pull me out of the deepest darkest hole,” says Michael. “Before SHARE, I didn’t do anything. I didn’t care about what I ate or drank or if I moved my body. Then I was go, go, go. SHARE helped me find a middle road, and they continue to provide care. I’m so grateful.”

Michael is continuing to stay active, even training for marathons.

“I like to push myself to see what I can do. I just finished the Marine Corps Marathon,” says Michael. “My new mantra is depression hates a moving target. I’ve found where it can be too much, but in the right balance, movement is vital for being healthy, both mentally and physically.”

Michael worked with his doctor to safely get off medication. The SHARE team continued to help Michael develop tools to mitigate symptoms of PTSD and identify his core values, which include being of service to others – human or otherwise.

“One thing SHARE did this time was to really help me focus on my core values, which is giving service,” explains Michael. “It’s important for me to continue serving in one way or another, whether it’s to people or to animals. I volunteer as a holistic veterinary assistant for my father-in-law, which I find very meaningful, and it has opened up my eyes to holistic care. I’ve seen it help so many animals. Now, I get acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and Reiki regularly.”

Today, Michael continues to serve others by telling his story, hoping to help anyone in a similar situation.

“I’ve got purpose,” he says. “I’ve got a place in this world, running marathons, helping animals, and helping other people. If sharing my story helps someone else get through the same situation, then it’s worth it.”

Written by Lindsey Rieben

One month before Noah’s 18th birthday, he was out with his friends at a trampoline park, enjoying a day of fun and recreation. In an attempt to do a double front flip, Noah landed on his head, sustaining a high-level spinal cord injury. He was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where he received treatment and was referred to Shepherd Center.  

Noah spent two months as an inpatient at Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, grinding hard to regain his strength. Once he went home, he didn't stop there. Noah returned for the Day Program, pushing himself to new limits. That’s when he heard about the Shepherd Smash rugby team, one of the 11 adaptive sports teams of Shepherd Center’s Fred, Shaler, and Andrew Alias Sports Teams Program. Being part of the Smash pushed his rehabilitation to a new level.

“About a year after my injury, I was asked to come try out adaptive rugby,” says Noah. “For someone newly in a chair, it was good to have people in chairs around you who have been doing this for a while. Not just to learn from them, but to have people who know exactly what you’re dealing with. There, they do.”

Being part of that team gave him a sense of camaraderie and a chance to unleash his competitive side again, but that was just the beginning. Noah found other adrenaline-pumping activities like waterskiing after participating in Shepherd Center’s Adventure Skills Workshop (ASW), a weekend camp designed for people with life-changing injuries or illnesses to practice hands-on adventure skills. There, he met Bill Furbish, an 11-time national champion in adaptive waterskiing and the adaptive waterski coach.

 “He saw that I had an interest and took me under his wing, and he hasn’t let go since.”

On top of picking up two new sports, Noah could not stay away from his true love: mountain biking.

“Now that I was in this new life, I felt like the only way to truly get back to being myself was through mountain biking,” explains Noah. “It was the longest sport to get back to because I didn’t have the means to get a mountain bike. So, the community came together to help me raise funds and get back to mountain biking. I feel like I’m myself again.”

Noah’s mission is to raise awareness for adaptive mountain biking in the Southeast so he can help others regain their independence as well.

Adaptive sports have been a game-changer for Noah – both physically and mentally. Being surrounded by people who understand what he's been through and having the chance to compete again have been essential in building his confidence.

“Of all the paths you can take to rehabilitation, I think sports is the number one,” he says. “If you can, I definitely recommend giving it a try.” 

Written by Lindsey Rieben

Pursuing Possible with Shepherd Center

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 When Mariah started experiencing severe back pain between her shoulders on March 21, she knew she had to get to the hospital. On the way to St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, Georgia, panic set in as Mariah went numb from her breastbone down. After doctors assessed her at St. Mary’s, Mariah learned she had sustained a spinal cord injury due to a blood clot.

Following her diagnosis, Mariah transferred to Shepherd Center on April 3, uncertain of what to expect, but with a discharge date the same day as the Taylor Swift concert.

“Coming to Shepherd, I had no idea what relationships with my therapists would look like,” Mariah explains. “But my whole team liked Taylor Swift, and my therapist, Katie, had a ticket to the concert, too. So, it was really helpful in easing my nerves by having something in common, and we formed a relationship quickly. I thought I’d go to therapy and just leave after, but I found myself staying later to talk to them.”

When Mariah’s therapists found out she was going to the Taylor Swift concert, they turned every rehabilitation exercise into an opportunity to help get Mariah to the show. Art therapy became time for Mariah to make the trademark friendship bracelets traded at the show, and showers became a jam session for Mariah and occupational therapist Katie Kimball, OTR/L, RYT-200.

 “You could hear Taylor Swift music blaring down the hall when she took a shower,” Kimball laughs. “Mariah’s goal attainment scale always came back to the Taylor Swift concert.”

 Roughly two weeks into her rehabilitation journey, Mariah experienced a setback in her bowel program that put her dreams of seeing Taylor live on hold. When someone experiences a spinal cord injury, the communication between their brain and the nerves controlling the bowel muscles can be disrupted, resulting in difficulties with regular bowel movements. A bowel program for spinal cord injury refers to a routine or set of steps that individuals with spinal cord injuries follow to manage their bowel movements.

 “The bowel program I was on just was not working for my body,” Mariah explains. “I told Katie I was going to sell my ticket, but she convinced me to give her one more week. My team advocated for me to change my program, and by that next weekend, my bowel program was changed. It was so much better!”

 Equipped with new confidence, Mariah continued to progress. Her therapy team worked with her on car transfers, putting on leggings to go underneath her “Evermore” album-inspired dress, and helping her friends understand how to break down and reassemble her wheelchair.

 As the day of the concert and Mariah’s discharge approached, the team realized they had missed an important step: the tickets. Mariah bought her tickets long before she sustained her spinal cord injury, and there was no way she could make it to her seat. She teamed up with Kimball to call the venue to get her seats changed – to no avail. Luckily, Kimball had one last trick up her sleeve – a contact who worked at the venue and was able to move Mariah to an accessible seat.

 Finally – it was happening! The day of the concert, Mariah got dressed with her friends, and they made their way to the stadium for a life-changing experience, in more ways than one.

“It was truly eye-opening,” Mariah says. “This was my first big outing outside of Shepherd Center. I got so many people saying ‘I’m so sorry’ and moving out of the way. It was interesting to navigate a concert as a person with a disability.”

 While at the concert, Mariah and Kimball met up to celebrate this huge victory for Mariah and of course, jam out to Taylor Swift.

Today, Mariah is continuing her rehabilitation in Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Day Rehabilitation Program, visiting her therapists and reminiscing about the concert and the progress she’s made since beginning her rehabilitation journey.

“The concert was amazing! I wouldn’t have changed my decision to go and not sell my ticket,” Mariah says. “I couldn’t have done it without my therapy team. They were so helpful in shaping the way I did things. Not just for the concert, but for life.”

Written by Lindsey Rieben

 On the morning of Monday, April 16, 2018, Otto had a violent coughing fit due to undiagnosed pneumonia and began to experience stroke symptoms. His wife, Clyde, rushed him to the emergency room at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Doctors sent him by helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital, where a neurologist examined him.

 “I had suffered a massive left-brain stroke,” Otto says. “The doctor gave my wife two options. One was to leave me alone with a major brain injury, which I would probably not survive. Or two, undergo a neurological intervention to restore circulation to my brain, but because of the blood thinners I was treated with, this procedure carried a high risk of causing me to bleed out and die.”

Faced with what seemed like an impossible decision, Clyde chose to give Otto the best chance at survival: surgery. When Otto returned from surgery, his condition seemed bleak. So, his children flew to Atlanta, and a priest joined the family to give Otto his Last Rites.

 Fortunately, Otto survived the procedure. As he began to improve, the family started looking into rehabilitation hospitals with a clear choice in mind.

 “Shepherd Center was my first choice,” Otto says. “After 10 days in Grady’s Stroke Center, I transferred to Shepherd Center.”

 With his sense of humor and optimism intact and Clyde by his side, Otto began his recovery process, spending just over two months in Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program.

 “I went through physical, occupational, and speech therapy every day,” Otto says. “My progress was impeded by severe nerve pain resulting from the stroke. I didn’t know strokes came with nerve pain, but boy howdy, they can!” Otto’s pain finally resolved seven months after his stroke.

 Otto graduated from inpatient rehabilitation and progressed to Shepherd Pathways, Shepherd Center’s comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for people recovering from brain injury. He also began participating in Georgia State's Aphasia Choir, where he connected with other stroke survivors.

From near death and complete dependence, Otto has made remarkable progress. Today, five years after his stroke, he can walk with a cane, perform daily tasks independently, and he continues to work on his speech. Although he is doing well, Otto participates in therapy programs to improve as much as possible.

 “My progress has been the result of skilled help and prayers,” Otto explains. “I can honestly say the past five years have been the best years of my life. I got to quit practicing law, and my faith in God has deepened. Also, my wife never asks me to do the dishes.”

 Written by Lindsey Rieben

Pursuing Possible with Shepherd Center

To support patient stories like this one, please consider contributing to Shepherd Center's Pursuing Possible campaign. 

“I was really struggling,” Felicia explains. “My right knee was always hurting and stiff. I would try to push through, but that’s when I realized there was something else going on.”

In 2018, Felicia and her neurologist identified the source of her symptoms: multiple sclerosis (MS). Her diagnosis led her to Shepherd Center’s Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute and the Ensemble Research Study, which focused on newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and the medication ocrelizumab, an infusion therapy used to slow the progression of MS. “By the grace of God”, Felicia says, she filled the final available spot for the study, under the care of Sherrill Loring, M.D., a neurologist at the MS Institute, and the clinic staff.

“They treated me like a queen!” Felicia says. “There were long days, especially when I first got there. So, they would get me breakfast and get me all set up on the pump. They were always so kind, attentive, and willing to do anything to make me more comfortable.”

As the study continued, Felicia’s days at Shepherd Center got shorter, and her symptoms slowly began to wane. Today, Felicia still visits Shepherd Center and Dr. Loring for follow-up appointments every six months, with a virtual visit in between.

“Now when Dr. Loring asks me to put my legs on the table, I can swing ‘em on up there,” she laughs. “Before, I wasn’t able to lift my legs or stand correctly, but now, I can get up and go! This medication has been a lifesaver for me.”

Four-year safety and efficacy data results for the Ensemble Research Study were presented at the 2023 American Academy of Neurology Conference in Boston.

“Ensemble clinical trial assessed Ocrevus in patients with early-stage relapsing remitting MS and with no prior treatment,” says Dr. Loring. “It showed stable or improved disability progression in majority patients up to the four years studied, no new safety concerns were seen and over two-thirds of patients showed no evidence of any disease activity. This emphasizes the extreme importance to treat early in course of disease with effective treatment to have the best outcome.”

While Felicia was unable to return to her active job in insurance, she has found new ways to get back on her feet. She runs a small business with her family called Quality by Khool Kustoms. Felicia creates crafts to sell online, including her very first t-shirt design for MS Awareness Month, displaying MS and “multiple strengths” complete with the MS awareness ribbon and trademark orange color.

“When people hear multiple sclerosis, they tend to cringe,” Felicia explains. “I wanted everyone to see MS not as a weakness, but as multiple strengths.”

You can check out more of Felicia’s designs on TikTok by using her handle: @khoolkustoms_merchlady.

Written by Lindsey Rieben. 

On October 30, 2022, Bobby Kwak pulled into his driveway with a sigh. It had been a long day at work, and the day’s activities had been so time-consuming, he’d forgotten to eat. He was ready to relax, have a beer, and turn in for the night. As he was getting ready for bed that evening, Bobby fainted, hitting his head on the door and the floor, and sustaining a C-2 level spinal cord injury. After his son found him, his wife called 911 and Bobby was rushed by ambulance to WellStar North Fulton Medical Center in Roswell, Georgia.

When Bobby transferred to Shepherd Center in November 2022, he was not hopeful. Being the sole breadwinner for his family, he was unsure how he would support them and pay his medical bills. Bobby had lost most function in both of his arms, making returning to his job in time for the impending tax season seem impossible. So, when he met Leah Barid, OTR/L, ATP, in Shepherd Center’s Assistive Technology Center, he was skeptical she could help.

“There was no room for failure,” Bobby explains. “I was totally against using the technology. I told Leah that unless I could use my arms, hands, and keyboard, it was useless. But she persisted and was so positive when I was so negative. So, I gave it a shot.”

With the deadline of tax season looming, the duo worked together to find innovative ways for Bobby to return to his life and his job.

“To say Bobby was skeptical would be putting it mildly,” says Leah. “He was very specific about what he wanted to do, and he wanted to use the least adaptive equipment. But, once I got him in the lab, he was up for anything I threw his way.”

As Barid introduced Bobby to new technology, like voice commands on his phone to open his apps and send emails, he began to feel more optimistic. As his hopes began to rise, so did his willingness to try new things. That’s when Barid showed him the GlassOuse system, a hands-free, wireless device that tracks the user’s head movements to move the mouse cursor accordingly and allows the user to select content with a bite switch. Now Bobby could navigate through Excel documents and type emails. Barid also set Bobby up with Dragon software. This speech recognition tool allows users to turn the spoken word into written text, providing Bobby with another way to use his computer hands-free.  

“Eventually, when Leah sold me on a couple pieces of technology, things took off,” Bobby says. “It provided so much hope. I was very positive about being able to work at that point.”

With the help of adaptive technology and the support of his company, Landis+Gyr, Bobby returned to work as a senior manager of tax accounting, even working while continuing therapy at Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program as an inpatient.

“They were just so supportive of me, and I can’t thank them enough,” Bobby says. “The CFO and my boss came to see me when I was at Shepherd Center. They purchased all my technology so I could do my job, allowed me to work from home, and continue to provide support. I feel like I’m slower, still learning how to do things, but I’m just as productive as I was before.”

As Bobby prepares to cross the finish line of this tax season and return to Shepherd Center for outpatient therapy, he reflects on his journey and the care he has received.  

 "I just want to thank all my therapists, nurses, and techs. I can’t thank them enough for doing a job that is usually thankless,” Bobby explains. “Especially people like Amber in the ICU, she was so patient with me when I couldn’t speak. I had to go through some dark times, but my wife, son, and the people at Shepherd Center really helped me through it all.”

Written by Lindsey Rieben

Kaytlin’s family stayed close by at Shepherd Center’s donor-funded family housing, while Katie stayed by her side, opting to sleep in the hospital room with Kaytlin.

Kaytlin spent two months with her care team, rehabilitating and rebuilding her confidence.

“Kaytlin was an absolute dream to work with. From day one, she showed up to her therapy sessions incredibly motivated, hardworking, creative, and kind to everyone she met,” says Kaytlin’s occupational therapist, Jena Kelly, OTR/L. “To watch her and Katie work alongside one another- through one of the most traumatic experiences was really special to see. They work seamlessly together and truly care for one another.”

One day, as Kaytlin was working with occupational therapist, Jena Kelly, OTR/L, and recreational therapist Nikki Kiley, CTRS, the topic of marriage came up, causing Kaytlin to pause. She had not considered proposing to Katie before, but now, everything was different.

“I knew that my graduation from Shepherd was already going to be an important day for me,” Kaytlin says. “So, it just seemed right to propose that day.”

Kaytlin and her therapy team including Jena, Nikki, Carol Ardanowski, PT, and Hannah Gross, PT/OT Aide, got to work planning out the details until the day finally arrived. On April 18, Kaytlin awoke ready but nervous to graduate from Shepherd Center and transition into her new life with her soon-to-be fiancée.

“I was so nervous,” she explains. “As I watched the clock count down, I got more and more anxious. When Katie asked what was wrong, all I could tell her was that I was nervous that I would have to speak at my graduation. She had no idea I was going to propose.”

When the afternoon finally arrived, Kaytlin and Katie made their way to the Anna and Hays Mershon Secret Garden, where they would meet Kaytlin’s therapy team for the graduation celebration. Jena, Kaytlin’s occupational therapist, presented her with the traditional Shepherd Center graduation tee shirt, rolled up, with a small ring box inside.

“My nerves skyrocketed,” Kaytlin laughs. “I was fidgeting with it the whole time.”

After all of Kaytlin’s therapists had the opportunity to speak and congratulate her on her progress, it was finally time.

“I had all this stuff planned to say,” she explains. “But when it finally happened, I got up there and said, ‘I just want to say thank you,’ and I turned to Katie and said, ‘I especially want to thank you,’ then it just came out, and I said, ‘Will you marry me?’”

As the realization set in with Katie, tears filled her eyes, followed by a resounding “yes,” and many questions like how Kaytlin hid the surprise from her so well.

“Everyone knew except her,” Kaytlin says. “My therapists helped with everything. Although many of our friends and family from home couldn’t be there, my therapists were my friends and family at that point.” 

Now that the couple has returned home to Huntsville, Alabama, they are excited as they look forward to their future together and have already begun planning their wedding. Meanwhile, Kaytlin is making progress and continuing to improve with the support of her family and loving partner.

“We’re feeling good,” Kaytlin explains. “Everyone is excited we are home, and we are excited to be back.”  

Written by Lindsey Rieben

That Ashley was able to resume hiking and exploring the North Georgia mountains just one year later – with her border collie, Izzy – is due, she says, to the medical care and support she received from Shepherd Center.

A “Type-A personality,” Ashley is not one to sit still. During the three months before her MS attack, for instance, she received her doctorate of veterinary medicine at the University of Florida, got married and moved to a new home in Georgia. Ashley believes the key to her recovery was that Shepherd Center staff convinced her to slow down and focus on herself. She took time off from her career as a general practice veterinarian and embraced physical therapy and activities available through the Eula C. & Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation and Wellness Program.

“Dr. (Ben) Thrower (medical director of the MS Institute at Shepherd Center) convinced me of the right treatment option, and that probably saved my life,” Ashley says. “After six months of treatments and rehabilitation, I got a huge energy boost.”

She also utilized her own motto: “Even if you can just get one percent improvement out of something, do it,” Ashley says. “If you make enough one-percent improvements, over time you’ll get somewhere.”

Today, Ashley still takes time for herself. In addition to hikes, she goes horseback riding weekly. She has also switched to part-time work, which led to a more fulfilling calling. Ashley is now working for a veterinary hospice and in-home animal euthanasia service called Lap of Love, where she guides families through end-of-life care for their pets.

“It’s so rewarding to bring peace to these situations and help prevent suffering,” she says. “This is definitely where I’m supposed to be. This is my career.”

Written by Phillip Jordan