Young thankful to walk again
It’s slow and methodical, but the progress Joel Young is making has him grateful, thankful and determinedly moving forward.
The Berne-area man who was severely injured by collapsing bricks on February 21 has been cleared by doctors to start walking – and bid farewell to his wheelchair!
Also gone are a sling for an injured arm and a boot for an injured foot.
“The use of the left arm is still very limited,” Joe recently told the Daily Democrat, and he was due to begin shoulder therapy.
“I’m still in therapy for both legs from the broken foot on one side and the broken femur on the right. Not in as much pain at this point, but I get very sore and can’t walk as long as I used too,” Young continued. “(It is) to be expected, of course.”
Joel said he is often is using a cane by the end of the day to assist his walking. “But I’m still grateful to be rid of the wheelchair,” he added.
He noted that he expects to reach maximum improvement by January.
Young says he has received great support from his family and his church, Faith Baptist Church of Berne. A man of strong faith, Joel recently posted on Facebook: “Thank you everyone who has been following along and praying for my family and I, it’s already done so much.”
Scary situation
An employee of Weigand Construction of Fort Wayne, Young was working at the Electric Works project a short distance south of downtown Fort Wayne when a brick facade collapsed and fell on him. He was waste deep in bricks and severely injured. Multiple emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
Adam O’Connor, deputy chief of the Fort Wayne Fire
Department, said Young was alert while it took more than an hour to rescue him. Paramedics tended to him during the rescue.
Young was taken to Lutheran Hospital and his brother, Joshua, who lives in North Carolina, posted on Facebook that Joel had two skull fractures, a small brain bleed, broken
shoulder, broken femur, and a broken foot.
At one point after the accident, Joel told a media outlet that during the entire ordeal he never panicked or thought his life was in jeopardy.
There have been numerous sub-stories since the accident.
For instance, some co-workers who helped rescue Joel decided to build a wheelchair ramp for him. It was done in 10
hours, one day.
Young has said how much he appreciated Gardners Greenhouse (south of Monroe) for helping him with his plants during his hospital stay. Gardening is one of his main hobbies.
On the last day of March, one of the firefighters who helped dig him out of the bricks, stopped by to see how Joel was doing.
Afterward, Joel posted on Facebook: “One of the
comments he made stuck with me. He said if you didn’t believe in Jesus you wouldn’t be alive today.
“This just is a constant reminder to me of what a miracle this was. I am very grateful for the men God placed in my life at all the right times. Tough situation‘s reveal strong men.”
So Joel, wife Bethany and young son Lincoln continue to move forward … together!