Max
06-02-2003, 05:04 PM
Top Student Battles Back from Tragic Fall
Jon Fehr had just finished winning another tennis match for Johnson senior high school. The twin cities teen went home, went to bed, and what happened within the next hour changed his life forever.
Fehr suffered a terrible accident caused by a rare sleep disorder.
His fellow seniors -- graduate from high school Monday. He's the valedictorian - but he won't be at the ceremony.
Education reporter Rondah Kinchlow introduced us to this young man Sunday night. The following is based on her report.
Jon Fehr sits at his computer, looking at a growing list of messages from people who want to know what happened to their friend - star athlete, winner of a full-ride scholarship to Washington University and the number one student in Johnson high's class of 2003.
More Monday Night
Monday night on KARE 11 News at 10:00 p.m. Jon's class graduates high school.
And while he won't be there to deliver his commencement speech -- his fellow students will still get to hear his words.
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"I just remember waking up on the ground. Couldn't move my legs, broken wrists -almost like a waking up in a dream and finding it is reality. Pretty scary," he says.
The accident was not only scary for Jon - his parents were terrified when they heard the accident happening.
"We heard the panes of glass, then we heard him yelling and screaming - we realized he'd fallen out of the window," says Jon's Mother, Sarah Fehr.
Since the age of seven, Jon had occasionally walked in his sleep - once or twice a year. But this time it was different.
"Almost like someone was pursuing me. I had to get away. I crashed through a window - woke up when I hit the ground. I couldn't move my legs. It was pretty scary.
"He right away said he couldn't move his legs -that he thought he'd broken his back," Sarah Fehr says.
Jon Fehr had broken his back. He'd lost any feeling from the waist down and both of his wrists were broken in the fall.
"The injury that occurred was a burst fracture of the t-10 vertebral body," says Mayo Clinic-Spinal Cord Dr. Ronald Reeves.
Reeves, holding a model of the human spine, pointed to the point where Jon's spine was damaged. The human body has 24 vertebrae. The top 7 are called the cervical vertebrae. The next twelve are the thoracic vertebrae, each of which is connected to a rib. These are followed by the 5 large lumbar vertebrae. (More information: the spinal column.)
Reeves explained that in Jon's case, a piece of the vertebrae bone moved inward, damaging his spine.
Twice a day, Jon works through physical and occupational therapy - never showing the slightest sign of discomfort
"We never can tell anyone the future and we have a great deal of ongoing research looking at treatment strategies to help repair the damage to the spinal chord," Reeves says.
Jon is also getting help from one of the world's leading experts on sleep disorders. Dr. Michael Silber says Jon's injuries are the worst he's ever seen in a sleep walking accident.
"I've seen other patients who have thrown themselves through windows, but never anyone with such a severe injury as Jon experienced," Silber says. "In Jon's case I could not identify any definite factors why this event happened - not sleep deprived, not under stress, and obviously alcohol had nothing to do with it.
It is his upbeat 'can do' spirit that has physical therapists happy to work with Jon. That attitude is what his teachers, back at Johnson, miss the most.
"He tried out for my tennis team for the first time last year," says coach Vaughn Nagahashi. "Within short notice he was my number four player."
"Right away all these things go through your mind," says Jon's Guidance Counselor Lee Kammerer. "The athlete. Will he walk again? Did he hit his head? Will he think again? Will he smile again? All those things."
"He's a straight 'a' student, valedictorian of his senior class, his transcript has more a-pluses...than a's," says Johnson High Principal Kay Arndt.
Jon has earned a four-year scholarship to Washington University where he plans to major in architecture. He doesn't plan to miss a single day of class.
"His life has taken a detour," his mom says. "But he has his drive and energy - I'm sure he'll do well."
Rondah Kinchlow, KARE 11 News.
Rondah Kinchlow can be reached at: rkinchlow@kare11.com
Last Updated - 6/2/2003 4:36:13 PM
http://www.kare11.com/news/news-article.asp?NEWS_ID=47727
Jon Fehr had just finished winning another tennis match for Johnson senior high school. The twin cities teen went home, went to bed, and what happened within the next hour changed his life forever.
Fehr suffered a terrible accident caused by a rare sleep disorder.
His fellow seniors -- graduate from high school Monday. He's the valedictorian - but he won't be at the ceremony.
Education reporter Rondah Kinchlow introduced us to this young man Sunday night. The following is based on her report.
Jon Fehr sits at his computer, looking at a growing list of messages from people who want to know what happened to their friend - star athlete, winner of a full-ride scholarship to Washington University and the number one student in Johnson high's class of 2003.
More Monday Night
Monday night on KARE 11 News at 10:00 p.m. Jon's class graduates high school.
And while he won't be there to deliver his commencement speech -- his fellow students will still get to hear his words.
Modem Speed RealMedia
High Speed RealMedia
500k Broadband Speed
"I just remember waking up on the ground. Couldn't move my legs, broken wrists -almost like a waking up in a dream and finding it is reality. Pretty scary," he says.
The accident was not only scary for Jon - his parents were terrified when they heard the accident happening.
"We heard the panes of glass, then we heard him yelling and screaming - we realized he'd fallen out of the window," says Jon's Mother, Sarah Fehr.
Since the age of seven, Jon had occasionally walked in his sleep - once or twice a year. But this time it was different.
"Almost like someone was pursuing me. I had to get away. I crashed through a window - woke up when I hit the ground. I couldn't move my legs. It was pretty scary.
"He right away said he couldn't move his legs -that he thought he'd broken his back," Sarah Fehr says.
Jon Fehr had broken his back. He'd lost any feeling from the waist down and both of his wrists were broken in the fall.
"The injury that occurred was a burst fracture of the t-10 vertebral body," says Mayo Clinic-Spinal Cord Dr. Ronald Reeves.
Reeves, holding a model of the human spine, pointed to the point where Jon's spine was damaged. The human body has 24 vertebrae. The top 7 are called the cervical vertebrae. The next twelve are the thoracic vertebrae, each of which is connected to a rib. These are followed by the 5 large lumbar vertebrae. (More information: the spinal column.)
Reeves explained that in Jon's case, a piece of the vertebrae bone moved inward, damaging his spine.
Twice a day, Jon works through physical and occupational therapy - never showing the slightest sign of discomfort
"We never can tell anyone the future and we have a great deal of ongoing research looking at treatment strategies to help repair the damage to the spinal chord," Reeves says.
Jon is also getting help from one of the world's leading experts on sleep disorders. Dr. Michael Silber says Jon's injuries are the worst he's ever seen in a sleep walking accident.
"I've seen other patients who have thrown themselves through windows, but never anyone with such a severe injury as Jon experienced," Silber says. "In Jon's case I could not identify any definite factors why this event happened - not sleep deprived, not under stress, and obviously alcohol had nothing to do with it.
It is his upbeat 'can do' spirit that has physical therapists happy to work with Jon. That attitude is what his teachers, back at Johnson, miss the most.
"He tried out for my tennis team for the first time last year," says coach Vaughn Nagahashi. "Within short notice he was my number four player."
"Right away all these things go through your mind," says Jon's Guidance Counselor Lee Kammerer. "The athlete. Will he walk again? Did he hit his head? Will he think again? Will he smile again? All those things."
"He's a straight 'a' student, valedictorian of his senior class, his transcript has more a-pluses...than a's," says Johnson High Principal Kay Arndt.
Jon has earned a four-year scholarship to Washington University where he plans to major in architecture. He doesn't plan to miss a single day of class.
"His life has taken a detour," his mom says. "But he has his drive and energy - I'm sure he'll do well."
Rondah Kinchlow, KARE 11 News.
Rondah Kinchlow can be reached at: rkinchlow@kare11.com
Last Updated - 6/2/2003 4:36:13 PM
http://www.kare11.com/news/news-article.asp?NEWS_ID=47727