A Father Recalls the Night Everything Changed
Christian Benitez remembers the early days. “Those were the hardest moments of our lives. You pray you never get that call. You get that call that your son…he was on his way home from the Filipino club at Berkeley. Just a typical night. He had one of those longboards with a remote. He used it in his first few semesters of college—he was very comfortable with it. Somebody saw him walking on the sidewalk. He was stumbling and then fell. He didn’t have any noticeable injuries—he wasn’t bleeding anywhere. But they called 911. At the hospital, they realized he had a brain bleed. When we heard from the doctors the next day, we learned it’s one of those things that some doctors won’t operate on. But the doctor that night at the hospital had just become a mother. She said, ‘This is somebody’s child—we’re going to operate—we’re going to take a shot.’ And they did.” To Christian, this wasn’t just somebody’s child. It was his son, Lucas.
Defining Progress in “God’s Time”
Lucas’ parents, Christian and Debbie, set their definition of progress as always moving forward, no matter the size of the step, in what they call, “God’s time.” Lucas’ occupational therapist at QLI, Erin Shuck, recognizes how critical it is for Lucas’ recovery to have his parents by his side—stride for stride. Erin says, “the support and care they inherently give their son, the sacrifices they’ve made, and the love they share—they’re the definition of great parenting.”
Early Signs of Hope and Communication
They knew how to motivate and encourage Lucas to reignite sparks that ignited a fire. It started with a smile. Shortly after Lucas awoke from a coma, Christian noticed movement in Lucas’ arm. He quickly realized Lucas was attempting to write words in the air. Lucas was trying to communicate. With the use of his right hand, Lucas began answering questions by giving a thumbs up for ‘yes’ and a thumb to the side for ‘no’. Next, he graduated to utilizing a writing and word-finding app on an iPad. Under the guidance of his QLI speech and language pathologist, Taya Tanner, Lucas began to add verbalizing to his communication arsenal. Taya says, “through it all, he pushes himself in moments that are meaningful and purposeful to him.”
Technology That Opens Doors
Taya ordered an iPad mount for Lucas’ wheelchair so he can express his wants and needs. Christian excitedly recalls a major milestone for Lucas. “The other day, he typed a message to a bunch of his friends back home—just a little ‘hey guys!’ and within seconds, the responses flowed in.” The cascade of well-wishes was a reflection of the army that has rallied around him.
Building Strength Through Repetition
As the moments of the recovery marathon unfolded, the key was maximizing their results through repetition. When Erin targeted Lucas’ ability to transfer without a mechanical lift, Lucas’ clinical and residential teams dove in. Sessions with Erin improved Lucas’ strength and his ability to stabilize and support more of his weight. Training from Erin to Lucas, his family, and other QLI team members ensured that the repetitions transferred to his daily routine to be reinforced throughout the day instead of solely during his formal therapy sessions. It wasn’t just one person working, but a whole community.
Christian declares, “QLI is family. We know he’s fine—he’s safe. They look out for him as much as we do. Here, there’s nobody who doesn’t care.”
Looking Ahead to the Next Chapter
Lucas had insurance coverage until shortly after Thanksgiving when he and his parents flew back home to Pasadena, California. It’s nearly one year from the day he was injured. Waiting for them is a throng of friends, family members, and supporters. Everyone is looking ahead to the next stage with confidence.
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