Below is a summary of Grace’s Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals “story” as recalled by her. I invite you to read it, and if you so feel compelled, donate via this page in support of Madonna because I know she would not be where she is today if not for them providing world-class rehabilitation therapy!

According to my mother, my recovery from a serious car accident last September has been nothing short of a miracle!

I was told that simply surviving the rollover crash was a surprise to doctors.

My mom reminds me that there were so many teams of doctors, that it was difficult to put all the pieces together and understand where I “was” and what my future might look like. She requested a team meeting with the staff so they could get a better picture and understanding of my current status and what likely was ahead for me.

My family knew that with God's help, anything was possible. And HE would soon answer our prayers as I began proving any of the doubters wrong! It’s no wonder that my family always called me “Amazing Grace!”

After spending a month in the pediatric intensive care unit at Nebraska Medical Center, I came to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital which specialized in pediatric disorders of consciousness. At that time, I was in a minimally conscious state, unable to talk, walk, eat or even breathe on my own.

I not only had a lot of physical injuries, but I also had a diffuse axonal brain injury, which is comparable to shaken baby syndrome, and it was a level three, which is the worst!

From day one, my physician-led care team saw my strength and determination. They got to work right away, incorporating familiar and motivating items into sessions to help me emerge into a conscious state.

During my initial evaluations, I had already started to squeeze a ball and waved my hand. I even grabbed a toothbrush and brought it to my mouth.

After I met my first goal and was able to wean from the ventilator, the focus in speech therapy shifted to purposeful movement.

My therapy team began working on my visual attention, like trying to get me to look at pictures of my friends or family members and even I even responded to my mom’s voice by turning my head and looking. My therapists were really excited to see some of these intentional responses to stimulation, so they continued to build on that every day trying to make it more and more consistent and functional.

Community outings to places like Scooter’s Coffee and Scheels sporting goods store allowed me to work on voicing by having me vocalize my thoughts on different pieces of clothing, or letting my mom know that I wanted more of her caramel coffee. My mom was also able to get hands-on training and gain confidence in my ability to take me places safely.

As my mom received more caregiver training, I became more independent. I got stronger, and aquatic therapy in Madonna’s warm water therapy pool enhanced my balance and coordination.

With help from Dr. Tanner Gates, Madonna’s neuro-optometrist, I received custom glasses and participated in weekly vision therapy sessions. Seeing clearly helped my balance and focus, which led to even more success in physical and occupational therapy.

The therapy team noted that my mom proved to be a key to my success as he provided daily motivation and support when therapy sessions became challenging. She also carried over skills learned in therapy during down times and weekends. My mom and I worked diligently on my "homework," including memory games and endurance building.

Thanks to Madonna’s Therapeutic Learning Center, I kept up with her classwork, making the return to my school and social life with my friends easier. I also gave progress updates to the thousands of people across the country who supported me through my journey in a Facebook group called "Grace Strong."

Over my 100 days at Madonna, I guess you could say I lived up to the nickname, “Amazing Grace!”

Again if you feel so compelled, please feel free to donate to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals as I would not be where I am today without them!

Help join me in raising support for these two needed pieces of equipment.

• The SOLO-Step - A balance training device designed to aid in rehabilitation and physical therapy, specifically facilitating high-intensity gait training. The system includes an overhead track and harness that supports patients during walking and balance exercises, allowing them to safely engage in more challenging and intensive rehabilitation activities. By minimizing the risk of falls, the SOLO-Step enables patients to participate in high-intensity gait training sessions that promote faster recovery and improve overall mobility and strength.

• SmartDrive was created with manual wheelchair users in mind. It offers a range of controls to deliver a seamless power assist experience, providing an opportunity for 80% fewer pushes. The mounting location, the ergonomic handle, the weight, and the OmniWheel were all designed to give manual wheelchair users access to fewer pushes, using an iPhone for easy controls.

For more information about attending Miracle Night for Madonna or participating virtually with the Silent Auction or Raffle, visit www.Madonna.org/MiracleNight

Again if you feel so compelled, please feel free to donate to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals as I would not be where I am today without them!