Service isn’t something Eric does.
It’s who he is.
In 2019, Eric was a volunteer firefighter in Hebron, an active member of the National Guard, and worked full time as a draftsman. His life centered on showing up for others, until he became the one who needed others to show up for him.
While responding to an emergency call, Eric was involved in a high-speed motor vehicle crash. The 24-year-old sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, along with skull and spinal fractures and multiple internal injuries. He required a ventilator to breathe, and the road ahead was uncertain.
Eric was transferred to Gaylord Hospital to begin intensive rehabilitation. Over the course of three weeks, he made rapid progress, which he credits to the intensity of his care.
“I came a long way in a short time,” Eric says. “My biggest challenges were memory, speech, and cognitive processing. I couldn’t retain much at first, but with therapy and repetition, things started to click again.”
Eric continued outpatient therapy at Gaylord’s Wallingford clinic to regain the fine motor skills, endurance, and mental stamina he would need in order to return to work.
Within four months, Eric returned to his job as a full-time draftsman. Months later, he returned to the fire department and to active duty with the National Guard.
This past June, Eric’s journey came full circle when he returned to take on the Gaylord Gauntlet 5K Trail and Obstacle Run. Running on the same grounds where he once worked to regain independence was a reminder of just how far he had come.
“Coming back was a surreal experience,” he says. “Being able to complete this course after being immobile upon admission fills me with pride and gratitude for the doctors and therapists who helped me get back to the life I enjoy.”
Soon, Eric will reach his most meaningful milestone yet: walking down the aisle at his wedding; something that at one point, felt impossible.
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