A New Beginning for Jean-Robert

Jean-Robert’s life changed forever last May. While working as a driver for a construction business, his truck was besieged by thieves who wanted to take the materials he was carrying. The thieves shot Jean-Robert and as a result of his injuries, he could not walk. In fact, he could barely move at all.

When Jean-Robert arrived at Health Equity International’s Spinal Cord Injury Center just a few short weeks later, his condition was extremely poor. “It was so bad I couldn’t even go to the bathroom,” he tells us, “I couldn’t get into the bed to lay down by myself. I couldn’t sit in a chair by myself. I had to have someone help me.”

However, he quickly realized that the SCI team was there to help him heal and learn how to care for himself again. He says, “I was fed, I was taken care of in every sense. I received therapy, my blood pressure was controlled—everything was great.” Slowly, Jean-Robert began to regain his independence. He’s learned how to do therapeutic exercises on his own, which will help him continue to strengthen his muscles when he returns home. He has learned how to expertly control his wheelchair, and he’s even learning to walk again. “The SCI team is passionate about helping us. If [the SCI staff] can find a way to make a handicapped adult walk again—that is huge!” Jean-Robert is excited to return to his home in Leogane soon, and he’s set a big goal for himself: “I came to the hospital in a wheelchair but I have decided I will not leave with this wheelchair!”