‘Sky’s the limit:’ One year after diving accident, teen’s hard work helping him heal from spinal cord injury
As we embark on summer activities, the dangers in the water float to the surface, especially the risks for diving in lake water. Last year an accident in Lake Michigan brought a local high schooler to depths he had never known.
Now an update on Pato Gilchrist and his fight back and the rising benefits from hard work and strong dedication.
WGN first met Gilchrist two weeks after he suffered a cervical spinal cord injury.
“It was the first nice day of the year. Really the first dive in I dove in headfirst, and I hit the sand the bottom of the lake,” he said.
Following surgery to stabilize his spine, the then-18-year-old underwent in-patient therapy at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.
Previous Coverage: Teen’s progress, positivity inspires just weeks after diving accident
Lauren Rizio is his occupational therapist.
“When he first got here, he needed full assistance for feeding himself dressing himself, any sort of washing grooming anything like that,” she said.
Weak and struggling to perform even the smallest movements, his spirit remained remarkably strong.
“I’ve always known that my voice is extremely powerful and obviously my mind powers that, and the fact that my personality was never altered is extremely important to me,” Gilchrist said.
With each step forward, he made progress.
“Up on the harness I can move my left leg fully, and I don’t need any help with it anymore,” he said. “It’s almost like every few days I have another muscle movement. I recently got my trunk muscles back, so that’s really exciting.”
After several more weeks of therapy, he began walking in a pool.
Back in the water one year after his accident, Gilchrist is on the move. The hard work helped him return home on his feet.
“I’m walking a lot. I’m ambulating by myself in the house,” he said. “I’ll walk up the stairs and then use a walker while I’m up there for my routines morning and night.”
He’s even back on the soccer field.
“Happy to be here. Happy to be back,” he said. “It’s a little over a year since I’ve been coaching so I’m just glad to be here and I’ve missed the kids.”
A power chair helps him navigate longer distances, as does driving a car again.
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Sara Wade is a QLI occupational therapist
“He’s been doing amazing. He’s really highly motivated,” she said. “He’s pushing boundaries, things a lot of people said he’d never do, he’s doing. The sky is the limit for him whatever he puts his mind to he’s going to accomplish.”
Gilchrist graduated from high school two months after the accident. He is now getting ready to go to college in the fall, majoring in environmental science and business. He’s headed to DePaul, where the school’s Department of Accessibility is adapting a dorm room to accommodate his needs.
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