FEATURE STORY — May/June 2010

 

True Grit

A war injury left him a quadriplegic. But luck and determination got Pedro Medina back on his feet

By Mary Toothman

U.S. Army sergeant and Chicago police officer Pedro Medina has made remarkable progress since May 2009 when a mortar attack in Afghanistan left him paralyzed from the neck down. He and his sister Delilah are shown walking in a nature preserve in Tampa, Fla. Photo by Calvin Knight

Pedro Medina ’07 AHS knows a thing or two about perseverance. 

In May 2007, some 12 years after commencing studies in fitness science, Medina received his college diploma to a standing ovation. By then, Medina was also a war veteran and Chicago Police officer.

After years of juggling studies, career and military service, seemingly quieter days lay ahead for the UIC grad.

But life changed during Medina’s fourth deployment with the Illinois Army National Guard. In May 2009, while serving as a senior operations sergeant with the 333rd Military Police Company in Afghanistan, a building collapsed on him during a mortar attack. He suffered a broken neck and shattered spine, and re­turned to his country a quadriplegic.

Medina, 35, recalls lying in a hospital bed, coming to grips with the fact that he had no sensation from the neck down. “It was overwhelming,” he recalls, “but I had faith. I kept reminding myself to give my body time to heal.”

Nevertheless, Medina found himself struggling to keep his spirits up. Then one day, his life took another unexpected turn. “I was lying in bed at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center], and my finger started tapping involuntarily,” Medina recalls. He was told the movement—along with sensations he says felt like electrical jolts—was encouraging.

Since then, Medina’s quest for re­covery has taken him to many places, most recently to James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Fla., where he continues to receive treatment. His sister, Delilah Medina, has supported him through numerous surgeries and countless hours of therapy, as have other family members, friends, colleagues and a physical therapist.

I kept reminding myself to give my body time to heal

Medina has worked hard. On Aug.13, 2009, he took a few steps—exhausting and painful, but exhilarating, he says. His therapist began encouraging him to participate in Tampa’s Gasparilla Distance Classic, a five-kilometer race. “I thought he was out of his mind,” Medina says. “But sure enough, I progressed. I just kept plugging along.”

He walked the race with his sister and therapist.

“I’m a walking quad,” says Medina. “When I go to therapy, patients in wheelchairs see me walk in.” For now, he shares his story with them. One day, he would like to serve as a mentor to those struggling with traumatic injuries.

David Uting, his longtime partner on the police force, says fellow officers are closely monitoring Medina’s progress. “He’s got a beautiful story—one of those one-in-a-million, feel-good stories,” Uting says.

“When I look at him now, without even a cane, it’s so amazing,” says Delilah, observing her brother as he negotiates a Tampa nature preserve.

Medina continues to undergo physical therapy and pain management. When he’s ready, he plans to return to Chicago and his job. He also is considering community outreach. “I know I have a lot to be thankful for,” he says. “It’s wonderful to be here.”