Adam Makes a Remarkable Recovery with a Network of Support

Adam Rhoades served four years in the Navy and had been home from Iraq only one week when a devastating accident left him with severe brain injury. “They said Adam would never walk or possibly talk again,” said his mother, Debby. The memories of those difficult first weeks still make her shudder.

“Adam was in a coma for seven weeks,” his father, Larry, explained. Both Larry and Debby were working full-time jobs at the time, but Debby ultimately had to leave her job so she could focus on Adam’s needs. “We felt overwhelmed at first, but then we found Denver Options and Operation TBI Freedom,” Larry shared.

Adam’s recovery is nothing short of remarkable. He has blossomed under the care of his parents, his sister Ashley and his niece, Lorelei. He has improved steadily and is now able to walk, sometimes with a walker and sometimes without. Adam is also making progress in his therapeutic riding program, where he can not only ride the horses but recently walked across the arena on uneven dirt without a problem, a feat he could not have mastered even a few short months before.

Adam sees his family as the heroes of his life and insists they deserve recognition for their dedication to his recovery. Debby feels the family could not have done it alone and said that Operation TBI Freedom has helped them find many critical resources. “Operation TBI Freedom has been a lifesaver. Our care coordinator helped us make connections to the Carpenter Volunteers and Rebuilding Together. They made major changes to our home, turning the dining room into a main floor bedroom and adding a walk-in shower in the bathroom for Adam,” she explained.

Operation TBI Freedom also gave Adam a donated computer and connected him to Soldiers’ Angels, who provided him with a specially adapted keyboard and a microphone to use with speech and cognitive therapy software programs. To further help him relearn speech and communication skills, Adam’s care coordinator also enrolled him in a veterans’ social skills group.

Larry and Debby rejoice in their son’s progress, and now that Larry is retired, both parents tend to Adam’s round-the-clock needs. Debby says his recovery process has been challenging, but she credits the family’s faith and Adam’s positive attitude as forces that have brought the family closer.

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Learn more about the services that Operation TBI Freedom provides.