His long road back—through brain remapping, neuromuscular training, and other advanced procedures—recently brought him to Dr. Karen Mccain, physical therapist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She predicted that with the help of a Rifton XL Pacer, Sean might walk again.
"Initially, he could only move his legs appropriately in response to an outside force propelling the Pacer," Mccain recalled. Owing to his traumatic brain injury, "he simply could not plan the steps necessary to move it himself. Even with assistance, it took him close to half an hour to take 12 steps on his own."
But Sean’s persistence with the XL Pacer paid off. "After only two weeks, Sean could walk in the Pacer unassisted and without stopping for two hours—covering 2,800 feet!" Mccain said. "We were astonished."
The new mobility has made his life better in other ways. For the first time in more than four years he was able to get himself into bed. "I can’t describe how much this means to him," Mccain said. "He told me, 'I’m looking forward to the rest of my life now, for the first time in a long time!' The Pacer has been such a powerful tool in Sean’s mobility and overall recovery."
Sean has a lot to look forward to. Two years ago, he returned to college to work toward his bachelor’s in business administration. He "talks" by typing his thoughts into a tablet computer that speaks for him. And his electrifying presentations about responsible driving have inspired thousands of school children in his home state of Texas and well beyond.
Send us a message for Sean, or tell us what you think!
info@rifton.com
The Sean Carter video should come with a warning for all mothers (and probably many fathers) that you will be crying within the first minute. Thank you for sharing it with me.
—Marianna R. Kennedy
Drake, Loeb, Heller, Kennedy,
Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd PLLC
New Windsor, NY
I doubt that anyone can ever get entirely "used to" such examples of the empowerment that your equipment brings to those, like Sean, who have just regained a part of their life that too many of us take for granted. I am not "used to" such things—"Ahh–I’m in heaven" put tears in my eyes and touched my soul. Thank you for sharing.
—Ray Miller
Milwaukee, WI