Thinking outside the box in a time of COVID

On March 31, 2018, in the small town of Butler, Alabama in Choctaw County, multiple lives were changed forever.  Two brothers, Colton and Logan, were crossing the street to visit their grandparents, following the instructions to always hold hands when they crossed together, when they were both struck by a car. 
Over the next several months, their parents stayed with them every day at Children’s of Alabama, praying for their recovery and learning about the possible long-term effects of the traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and other complications that would be facing their children.

Two years later, in the midst of a national pandemic, AHIF reached out to this family about an opportunity for Colton, whose recovery had been slower than that of his brother Logan, to attend an on-line therapy-based program through UAB called the We Can Do It Program.  This program utilized students from physical therapy, occupational therapy, kinesiology and nutrition to work with people to improve their overall health. 
Initially, the parents were resistant to the opportunity because, like so many of us, they were struggling daily with the challenges of virtual school and the amount of time it was taking.  If mom took time to attend the virtual therapy with Colton…what would happen to Logan? 

AHIF reached out to its partner of United Way of West Alabama, and ultimately got connected to a University of West Alabama faculty member, Amy Jones, who helped AHIF find a student who AHIF could pay to drive to Butler each Wednesday for nine weeks so that she could work with Logan on his school work, allowing Colton to attend the therapy sessions.  AHIF is so thankful to United Way, the University of West Alabama, UAB’s We Can Do It Program, and to student Sarah Wright for thinking outside the box and making this special opportunity possible.

Alabama Head Injury Foundation first reached out to this family prior to leaving Children’s of Alabama, where we were able to provide free skilled nursing care to Logan, who was released prior to his brother Colton, allowing the parents to stay with Colton in the hospital.  AHIF was able to follow this family home to Butler, and continue working with them as they adjusted to their “new normal” and continued the long road to recovery.