Gerardo Herrera, Jr., who has always gone by ‘Junior,’ has been a multi-sport athlete for as long as he can remember. The 15-year-old plays football, basketball and runs track. But, he’ll be the first to tell you basketball is his true passion.
“I think I’ve been playing basketball since I was 3,” he said. “I just love it.”
A car accident in March temporarily put Junior’s basketball dreams on hold, as he sustained a spinal cord injury. His C6 and C7 vertebrae were compressed, and he could not feel his arms or legs. After three weeks at Children’s Nebraska in Omaha, Junior came to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals’ pediatric spinal cord injury program. He was slowly re-learning to walk, but had balance issues and was required to wear a halo brace that gently pulled on his spine to relieve pressure. But Junior was ready to get started.
“Even from just reading his pre-admit screen that had his PT notes from the previous hospital to the day I evaluated him, he had shown great gains, so I knew on day one that he was a great rehab candidate,” Bailey Leversee, PT, DPT, Junior’s physical therapist, said.
Capitalizing on his competitive spirit and desire to work hard, Junior’s care team pushed him in therapy. Their first goal was to help him regain feeling and function in his legs. Using specialized technology, including the ICARE by SportsArt motorized elliptical, Junior became more independent. He went from needing someone holding onto him for support to walking and climbing stairs on his own.
“Every week I had to modify our goals and make them more challenging, due to how well and how quickly he was progressing,” Leversee said. “He was so motivated and trusted in the rehab process and always gave everything a try, even my crazy therapy ideas that he thought would be impossible or too hard.”
Knowing his love of basketball, Leversee incorporated the sport into therapy. The pair even set a return to the court as a therapeutic goal. After mastering the basics of walking and balance, Leversee added in higher-level activities that helped get Junior one step closer to achieving that goal. As he regained his arm strength and coordination, dribbling and shooting became easier. A true athlete, Junior eagerly put in the hard work to succeed.
“He was easy-going and always would do more than what was asked of him,” Leversee said. “He always strived to be better and better every day, and he appreciated how much I pushed him in therapy.”
As part of a special recreation therapy session, Junior met with Paralympian Natalie Schneider, who has won several medals with the U.S. Women’s wheelchair basketball team. He tested a sports wheelchair and took a few practice free throws. Junior says meeting Schneider was especially impactful for him because the two have several things in common.
“I liked talking to her because she’s like me in that we both can walk but, because of our injuries, can’t run or jump,” he said. “It’s nice to know there are other ways to play the sport I love, even if I don’t do it the exact same way I used to. It was also interesting to learn that you don’t have to use a wheelchair all the time in order to be able to play. Anyone can play wheelchair basketball.”
Apart from sports, Junior said he’s learned a few life lessons during his rehabilitation journey, like patience and the importance of a positive attitude. He’s also learned tips and tricks to aid in his recovery and met people from several different backgrounds.
“Perspective is probably the word I would use,” he said. “This experience has taught me a lot. I always kept a positive mindset and I focused on the positives. I got excited for every small thing I was able to do, even on hard days. There was always progress from the day before.”
Heading home to Osmond, Nebraska, Junior is ready to get back to the sports he loves. He will continue with outpatient therapies and follow-up doctors’ visits, but Leversee said she has no doubt he’ll be back to playing basketball in no time.