Lewis Spence is no stranger to hard work. An active father of five with a passion for fitness and weightlifting, this self-described “Superman” could do just about anything. Unfortunately, a near-fatal motorcycle accident resulting in a traumatic spinal cord injury on April 14, 2020, brought his active lifestyle to a screeching halt. Unable to move his arms or legs, Lewis was brought by ambulance to WakeMed Raleigh Campus and immediately taken to have emergency surgery.
An Incomplete Quadriplegia Diagnosis
After surgery, Lewis was moved to the ICU and informed that he had suffered incomplete quadriplegia. Doctors explained that he would likely never regain movement below the shoulders, much less be able to walk or lift weights ever again.
“They told me the most I would be able to do was shrug my shoulders,” Lewis shared, “but I knew I wanted to work hard and regain as much movement as I could.”
Still in the ICU, Lewis began attempting to move his limbs as much as he could. Much to his surprise, he was able to wiggle his toes.
“I knew that if I could wiggle my toes, I could walk,” he said. “In the ICU I immediately started practicing lifting my legs and making the covers on the bed move. I knew I was going to walk again one day.”
Hope for Mobility
With renewed encouragement from his wife and care team, Lewis continued to work on improving his mobility. He switched from a motorized wheelchair to a self-powered one, with the goal of regaining strength and movement in his upper body.
“I wanted to be at least 90% of what I was before the accident,” he said. “I told my nurses, doctors, and therapists to go hard on me, because I knew that I wanted to walk and do all the things I enjoyed again.”
But the work had only just begun. In rehab, hours of physical and occupational therapy required him to test his limits of mental and physical strength every single day. There, he had to relearn how to do activities that were second nature before the accident. Lewis practiced tying his shoes, turning door knobs and pulling and gripping items to regain his hand strength. He even played games of Jenga with his occupational therapist to help redevelop his fine motor skills.
His team of therapists, including Cheryl Bennett, pushed him to his limits during each session.
“Whew, they pushed me hard,” he shared, laughing, “but the things they taught me strengthened me into who I am today.”
During his time at WakeMed, Lewis progressed from needing a wheelchair and help with nearly all tasks to being completely mobile and independent. He has made a near full recovery, and just recently completed his last outpatient therapy session. Today, Lewis is doing the things he loves again — with a whole new outlook on life.
“The person I was before died in that accident,” he said. “I am a new man now because of what happened to me.”
More about WakeMed Rehab and Physical Therapy
WakeMed’s rehab services are connected to form a smooth “continuum of care” for children, adults and their families. We stand by our patients on their journey to be as independent as possible and enjoy full lives. WakeMed Rehab includes a rehabilitation hospital for inpatients and numerous outpatient rehab locations for those who are not in the hospital but need physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care and other services. Find your outpatient rehab location.
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