Woman paralyzed in workplace shooting inspires others
With every ounce of her breath, Kathy Steever pushes on, trying to navigate life without the use of her arms or legs.
"You've just do what you've got to do and that's what I've been doing," the 48-year-old Lennox, South Dakota, woman said.
She's learned how to operate a special wheelchair with puffs and sips from a tube. Voice-activated technology allows her to use her smartphone to reach out.
"Text Levi," Kathy commanded.
"What do you want to say to Levi Steever?" her phone replied.
"Hi, it's Mom. I hope you're doing well in school," she said.
She's becoming more independent.
Kathy turned to the Amazon Alexa her husband, Todd, bought her and says, " Turn on the TV."
And she is coming to terms with the horrific tragedy that stole her mobility.
"To me I can still walk. I don't think it's come to me that I can't," Kathy said.
Ob Feb. 12, 2015, Kathy, Todd and their two children had just returned from Disney World.
She was back at work at the Sioux Steel plant in Lennox when a disgruntled contractor stormed in.
He killed a co-worker and shot Kathy before fleeing and turning the gun on himself.
"That guy killed Jon ( Richter, 45) and he shot me and I don't even know what hit me, I guess," Kathy said.
"They closed that office down now and here I am."
Paralyzed.
Kathy laid in a South Dakota hospital for a month before being transported to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska.
"She wasn't breathing on her own. She didn't know where she was or who she was half the time," Todd Steever said.
After several weeks she was moved to a nursing facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to be closer to her home.
She couldn't do anything on her own.
"I would just sit in my room and wait," Kathy said.
In October, workman's compensation approves a return to Madonna.
She gets to work with many of the same therapists.
This time with her memory improving -- she has a new goal: to connect with the world.
"We've got to keep going we can't have her stop here," speech therapist Rhiannon Svitak said.
"And that's when everybody started adding to the tools."
It's a total team effort, she says.
The effort includes adapting Kathy's smartphone so she can call, text or FaceTime by sipping and puffing in a tube or voice command.
"Kathy literally has to do everything with her voice," occupational therapist Lindsay Tuxhorn said.
Kathy demonstrates by video calling Todd back in South Dakota.
"Hi. You're on camera so be nice," Kathy joked.
Todd says he'll try.
The two laugh.
The Madonna team also set up the voice-activated Alexa to control her smart TV.
It's connects to a device call a Harmony Hub, which allow all of Kathy's devices to interact.
"We needed to figure out a way to make those things work for her," Tuxhorn said.
And through it all her sassy, fun-loving personality came back.
Her cousins recall the time they surprised her by taking her to a Rick Springfield concert in Sioux Falls last January.
He's Kathy's favorite rock singer.
"Here he is walking up behind her and when he got in front of her she just staring at him," Lisa Mikkelsen said.
"I thought she was going to have a heart attack she was so shocked," Colleen Wratz added.
Kathy got to meet Springfield back stage.
She also sang along to all of his songs during the concert.
"That was one thing she could remember was to sing them songs," Todd said. "That stuck with her."
Kathy says she pushes on for her husband and two kids.
And summons courage through her faith, family and remembering an uncle who lost his arm and two legs.
"He lived life like it was no big deal," Kathy said. "If he could do it. I can, too."
That determination now inspires all those she touches.
"Kathy gets to go back and she can call her kids whenever she wants. She can FaceTime her family whenever she wants," Tuxhorn said, fighting back tears.
"You just make me really proud Kathy."
Kathy's reply, as the entire Madonna team hugs her,
"I'm just me."
Because of her courage the staff at Madonna gave Kathy its Spirit Award before she returned to the nursing facility in South Dakota last week.
Kathy's biggest wish is to some day be able to return to her family farm.
Here is a link to learn more about Kathy's recovery and how you can help.