Phillip Beasley: Recovering One Step at a Time

By Bonnie Rogulj, Physical Therapist, Brooks Rehabilitation

“The journey of a thousand a miles begins with a single step”. This short verse has such a profound meaning, especially to someone who is told they may not survive and much less, walk a single step ever again.

Walking into the clinic for work each morning, I never know what my day will hold or whose path I will cross.

Meeting Phillip

One morning I found Phillip sitting patiently in the waiting room next to his mother. He gripped a cane tightly as he rose to greet me. As we cautiously ambled toward the gym his eyes were glued to the floor and as he put one foot in front of the other, taking care not to trip over his left foot.

Months earlier, Phillips had been involved in a terrible car accident. He was left with a severe head injury and skull fracture. After spending months in intensive inpatient therapy and neurological day treatment programs at Brooks, he arrived at my clinic to complete his journey with outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Phillip had very specific goals for his therapy. He wanted to become more independent and reduce his risk for falling. He also wanted to regain the fitness that he enjoyed prior to his accident, which included running. Finally, he wanted to be able to walk independently down the aisle for his upcoming wedding.

A Winning Attitude

It didn’t take long for Phillip to win over everybody in the clinic. Every single task that we asked of Phillip, he committed to whole-heartedly until it was completed. Despite the challenges he faced during his treatment, Phillip found time and energy to extend encouragement towards fellow patients. One could not come into contact with this man and not leave without a smile, because his smile was so infectious!

Members of our staff watched proudly as Phillip’s positive attitude, dedication and work ethic resulted in great progress. Time passed and new challenges were faced and then achieved. Eventually Phillip no longer required the use of his cane. By the end Phillip’s treatment, he was running through the gym, with therapists chasing after him!

The Next Step

A few weeks after his therapy ended, I sat in the aisle of a countryside church. I watched Phillip take each step in confidence towards the love of his life. I can only imagine how each step felt, knowing how hard he worked to get here. I hope that Phillip’s journey will encourage others to take the first step, smile, and never give up. Thank you, Phillip.

Phillip Beasley was recently honored by Brooks as our 2016 Rehab Champion as part of our annual Celebrate Independence event. The award honors patients who have shown outstanding courage and perseverance on the road to recovery. To see the presentation of Phillip’s award CLICK HERE.

#WeAreBrooks