DJ's Story
When DJ navigates his small Connecticut town in his power wheelchair, his three-year-old son Jameson in his lap, the neighbors know them. "People get out of the way, stop, honk, wave to us," DJ says.
Three years after a diving accident at a friend's bachelor party left him with a complete C7 spinal cord injury, he is out in the world, with his son, in his town—a town that embraced him when he came home from inpatient rehabilitation at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. His support system begins and is anchored by his wife. "My life did get harder after the accident," he says, "but hers got a lot harder."
It takes a village—and DJ has one. His father-in-law, a contractor, put in a new door so DJ could get in and out of the house. A family friend who runs a local roofing and siding company redid the master bedroom and bathroom, added a garage door to the back entrance. Friends built a ramp and did the flooring, replacing carpet with hard wood so the chair could move freely. "I've been just extremely lucky," DJ says, "with my work, with the people in town, with my family."
Back at work at RBC Bearings since March 2024, DJ has also found a compassionate support network. When he returned to work—the company had held his job open for him—they asked what he needed from them. They installed accessible doors, gave him a garage entrance so he doesn't have to navigate the parking lot in bad weather, and they let him work from home when he needs to.
DJ describes his rehabilitation journey as one of ongoing learning and hard-won mastery. Getting dressed has become easier, as have transfers from and to his chair. He opted for an ostomy bag, which has added immeasurably to his independence. His wife and son have even planned a camping trip with friends, because DJ is confident to stay home by himself. "You keep learning things as you go," he says," "what works for you, what doesn't, and what can help."
He upgraded equipment, too, which adds to his progress and independence. A new standing feature on his power chair helps support him upright, an RTI bike delivers electrical stimulation to his legs while he pedals, and an ARC-EX device he uses in outpatient therapy stimulates the spinal cord directly.
"It has been truly heartwarming to see and support DJ on his journey of recovery," said Dr. Shelly Hsieh, Director of the Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury Program. "He has accomplished so much in the past few years, which highlights the impact that optimism, determination and community can have on one's recovery."
After two months of intensive inpatient therapy at Burke in 2023 followed by outpatient rehab at Burke, and, later, at another outpatient facility close to his home, DJ continues to set new goals. His goal right now is to lose weight through diet and exercise, and with that, perform a transfer he can't yet do, getting up from the floor into his chair without a step or piece of furniture to push from. At a Burke event, Empower SCI, last September on advanced wheelchair skills, he saw other wheelchair users doing such transfers—which motivates him towards the goal. "That would be a game changer," he says.
Over the summer, he and his wife drove his accessible van to Disney World for their second trip to the park with their son (and their third; they honeymooned there). Last year they flew, and DJ had to use a rental chair; this year he was in his own, custom-fitted chair, which meant he could do more, and be more comfortable doing it—another step along the rehabilitation journey. Throughout, he remains guided by optimism, support of family, and an unwavering sense of luck. As he says about seeing his son meet Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom, "It's really fun to watch the world through his eyes. We're lucky to be able to take him places like that."
See Part 1 of DJ’s story here
