Teen who snapped his spine in crash defies doctors to walk again and even play golf

A teenager left paralyzed after snapping his spine in a car accident has defied doctors by not only learning to walk again, but also by taking up boxing and golf as hobbies. Joseph Stokes, 21, from Atlanta, Georgia, was told he would never walk again when, aged 16-years-old, he crashed his car and broke his back.

Joseph was not wearing a seat belt and had only been driving for a few months when his Ford truck skidded off the road and flipped onto its roof in November 2015. Medics told him he was lucky to be pulled out of the mangled wreck alive. They warned him he was likely to be disabled forever.

But less than five years later, Joseph has gone on to make an almost full recovery and now lives independently at university.

Communications student, Joseph, said: ‘It’s overwhelming to think about how far I have come. I can do most things that all other people my age can do and I am lucky to be alive.

‘There was a time where I thought I’d be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, so to have my independence does feel amazing. I had to work so hard to get to where I am.

‘I got very lucky, I encourage all people to wear their seat belts on every journey because most people don’t survive like I did. It was almost a mistake that cost me my life.’

Joseph’s ‘mistake’ happened on November 2 2015 when he was driving to school on his own having recently passed his driving test. He said he’s not entirely sure why, but Joseph lost control of the vehicle, drove onto the verge and ended up flipping his truck upside down.

Joseph was flung from the vehicle before a resident at a nearby house dialed 911 for help and emergency services rushed to the scene. He recalls regaining consciousness at the side of the road and realizing he could not feel or move his legs at all.

Having suffered serious injuries Joseph was taken to the Navicent Health Medical Center, in Macon, for life-saving surgery. His mother, Maribeth, 48, was called to be at his bedside and said she was ‘horrified’ when doctors told her that her son was paralyzed.

She said: ‘The sheriff told us there’s no logical explanation for why he survived, but he did. The doctors took him for scans to find out what injuries he had and it was pretty bad news.

‘He had fractured his spinal cord and the doctors were adamant that he would never walk again. It was incredibly hard for me.

‘Joseph was incredibly active and dreamed of playing football, and I feared he would never have kids and be robbed of so many opportunities. I was also scared about having to look after him, potentially forever.’

Joseph underwent emergency spinal cord surgery several hours after the crash and he and his family faced an agonizing wait to see if he would regain any feeling or movement in his legs at all.

Doctors warned the family that whilst it was possible Joseph will regain the ability to use his legs, it was also possible he will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

After recovering from surgery Joseph was transferred to a specialized rehabilitation for 11 weeks and was looked after by a team of physiotherapists. On day three of his stay at the clinic Joseph showed the first sign of recovery when he contracted his calf muscle and regained some feeling in his toes.

This landmark moment paved the way for Joseph’s long road to recovery, from being bed bound and unable to move to walking independently in just three months.

‘He was able to stand up on his own after one week and spent several hours learning to walk again, it was incredibly hard work for Joseph’, said mother-of-three, Maribeth.

‘As a 16-year-old he thought his life was over and he felt really hard done to. Things got easier as he regained his strength and I am really proud of him for the progress he has made.

‘I never thought I’d see him go off to university because of what happened.’

Joseph added: ‘Rehab was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was such relief to know that I did have a chance of getting better.

‘When I walked out of rehab it was a crazy moment because I thought I’d have left in a chair.’

As part of his recovery Joseph was introduced to boxing and gym work and was told he could take part in low impact sports.

Whilst he’s still not able to run Joseph can walk without a cane and is able to live as an independent adult.

Joseph, who studies at Valdosta State University, said: ‘Golfing is my favorite thing to do now and I’m really grateful that I’m able to.

‘I can live normally now and when I look back at how far I’ve come in five years I still find it overwhelming.’