Tyler suffered a serious injury on the 2nd of
January 2015. After spending New Years day at his local hospital with what was
thought to be a bladder infection and muscle spasms, he was given
medications and sent home to rest and recover. When he woke up the
next morning, he was paralyzed from the chest down. Tyler was
rushed to the U of A hospital where they found an infection in his
Spinal Cord (in a nutshell, he picked up an infection which pooled
causing an abscess, compromising his spinal cord). Doctors immediately performed spinal surgery to remove the abscess. During the surgery he suffered a cardiac arrest and flat lined for 4 1/2
minutes, but with a great surgeon and team, he was brought back and
the surgery was successfully completed. He spent the next 3 months in the U of A Hospital, before being
transferred to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Although Tyler was given a bleak outcome, through positive thinking,
resilience, and support from his family and friends, he kept
persevering. After accomplishing goal after goal, and improving
weekly, he was released from the hospital in August, after spending a
total of 8 months away from home, his wife and dogs. Tyler continues to improve daily, by attending physio therapy from
the ReYu Paralysis Recovery Center. Working hard twice a week to get closer and closer back to walking! Although he is still considered a paraplegic he promises he will walk
again! On February 10, 2016 Tyler stood up, for the first time in over a
year and is certainly on his path to start walking again! Although it has been a slow process, with the support they have
received from friends and family, Tyler and Kristi’s spirits remain high
and Tyler’s determination is continuously fueled to succeed. They want to thank everyone who has shown remarkable generosity
and support for his treatment and care.
