A teenager paralyzed after he dove into a sandbar at a Long Island beach is grateful to his doctors and therapists for helping him to recover and be able to walk again.
On Wednesday, Sept 2, at a news conference at Nassau University Medical Center, Nico Fiorello was able to take some steps unaided. Fiorello said his wish is to join this coming spring his high school's lacrosse team.
The 17-year-old teenager was hurt in May, at Jones Beach, when he hit a sandbar while diving into the water. After his accident, Nico was left paralyzed due to a spinal injury. The doctors have chosen to have him undergo surgery. The boy underwent two surgeries and he also had months of training in a rehabilitation program. His surgeries included having a metal plate inserted into his spine.
His neurosurgeon declared the boy's recovery was remarkable. According to the doctor and, the chances of such a quick recovery in case of an injury like Fiorello had been usually slim. Fiirello had his neck broken in the diving accident, as well as other spine injuries.
According to Fiorello, after his accident it was really frustrating for him when he stayed in the hospital and unable to move. He added that at the time he felt he wanted to move his body and be able to get up from his hospital bed and feed himself.
Being incapable of all these and needing other people to help him with every little thing was very difficult for him, Fiorello said. According to the teenager, he has never been the type of person who really likes to get lots of help from others, but on the contrary, he likes to do things by himself. For this reason, it took a lot of time to get used of having others helping him.
Now, at just four months after his diving accident that took place in May this year, the lucky teenager is able to walk again.
