Max
06-05-2003, 11:51 AM
Injured teen keeps dream of dancing
Allison Few suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a trampoline accident.
By CARRIE WATTERS, Rockford Register Star
>> Click here for more about Carrie
ROCKFORD - In carefree seconds during a long Memorial Day weekend, Allison Few jumped, flipped and landed on her neck on the trampoline that's been in her back yard almost since she learned to walk.
Today, family from across the country maintain an around-the-clock vigil at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. Eventually, Allison, 13, will be moved to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Allison suffered a severe spinal cord injury. A ventilator breathes for the Kennedy Middle School student whose e-mail address is "lil dancingrl." The tall girl with bright brown eyes and a smile that shows recently removed braces is paralyzed from the chest down.
A phone message days after the accident notified the family of Allison's acceptance into Auburn High School's advanced dance program. She had danced in a district production of "The Wiz." The cheerleader dreamed of fame as a dancer.
"We don't want to tell her that she's never going to walk again," said her oldest sister, Katie Pozzi. "Miracles happen."
Backflip goes wrong
Allison has been dancing on stage since age 3. She's known for lively dramatics, but she kept herself together as the minutes ticked past 10:30 a.m. May 25.
Allison and classmate Hannah Kennedy, 13, both three-year cheerleaders at Kennedy, were practicing backflips.
The 5-foot-7 teen never cried when the backflip went wrong and she landed on her neck. She was sprawled with one leg awkwardly bent on the center of the trampoline. She told Hannah to get her mom.
Allison's dad was working in the yard of their Blythe Road home in Caledonia. Jay Few saw Hannah run inside for help, then he got to his daughter's side.
"Dad," Allison told him, "I can't feel my legs."
A former coach, Jay Few knew he had to hold Allison's head immobile. Carol Few called 911.
Moments later, volunteer firemen and paramedics from North Park Volunteer Fire Department converged on the lawn. Deputy Chief Steve Pearson found a calm dad, keeping his daughter calm. Allison's father continued to hold her head until a neck brace was in place.
"If anyone is a hero here, it's Dad," Pearson said.
The deputy chief opted to let Dad continue keeping Allison still rather than risk replacing him on the trampoline. "We wanted to minimize movement," he said.
Pearson said Allison's was the most serious trampoline accident he's seen. He checked Allison's foot reflexes and found none. Pearson stepped out of hearing range and called for a helicopter.
Twenty-five minutes after the flip, a helicopter landed in the back yard and took her away.
"Don't worry about me, Mom," Allison said.
X-rays showed that the spinal cord, high on her neck, was crushed.
Measuring time
Time is measured differently for the Few family now.
Within 45 minutes of jumping on the trampoline, Allison was at Saint Anthony's. Within hours, she'd been operated on. Within 10 hours, sister Erika and brother David arrived in Rockford from Las Vegas.
On the fourth day, she mouthed "manga," the Italian word for "eat" that her grandmother taught her.
On the eighth day, nurses sat Allison in a chair. She can move her arms and wrists, but fine movement is lost. The tubes stop her from talking; she communicates by lifting her eyebrows.
A teary-eyed father called Allison the strong member of the family. She's the youngest, but she's the coordinator and the one who "holds us all together."
A scrapbook of pictures and signatures documents visitors and gifts. There are cards from classmates and schools across the country in this family of educators. "The compassion is just amazing," Jay Few said.
Hannah has visited nearly daily, along with classmate Matt Johnson. Allison and Matt met in third grade at Marsh, when Allison was a foot taller than he was.
Matt plans to be the first person to dance with Allison when she's back.
When that happens, Allison will find the backyard trampoline gone. It was her parting request as she was flown away.
"Get rid of the trampoline," she told her dad.
He did.
E-mail to a friend
http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your_community/rockford/20030605-7003.shtml
Allison Few suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a trampoline accident.
By CARRIE WATTERS, Rockford Register Star
>> Click here for more about Carrie
ROCKFORD - In carefree seconds during a long Memorial Day weekend, Allison Few jumped, flipped and landed on her neck on the trampoline that's been in her back yard almost since she learned to walk.
Today, family from across the country maintain an around-the-clock vigil at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. Eventually, Allison, 13, will be moved to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Allison suffered a severe spinal cord injury. A ventilator breathes for the Kennedy Middle School student whose e-mail address is "lil dancingrl." The tall girl with bright brown eyes and a smile that shows recently removed braces is paralyzed from the chest down.
A phone message days after the accident notified the family of Allison's acceptance into Auburn High School's advanced dance program. She had danced in a district production of "The Wiz." The cheerleader dreamed of fame as a dancer.
"We don't want to tell her that she's never going to walk again," said her oldest sister, Katie Pozzi. "Miracles happen."
Backflip goes wrong
Allison has been dancing on stage since age 3. She's known for lively dramatics, but she kept herself together as the minutes ticked past 10:30 a.m. May 25.
Allison and classmate Hannah Kennedy, 13, both three-year cheerleaders at Kennedy, were practicing backflips.
The 5-foot-7 teen never cried when the backflip went wrong and she landed on her neck. She was sprawled with one leg awkwardly bent on the center of the trampoline. She told Hannah to get her mom.
Allison's dad was working in the yard of their Blythe Road home in Caledonia. Jay Few saw Hannah run inside for help, then he got to his daughter's side.
"Dad," Allison told him, "I can't feel my legs."
A former coach, Jay Few knew he had to hold Allison's head immobile. Carol Few called 911.
Moments later, volunteer firemen and paramedics from North Park Volunteer Fire Department converged on the lawn. Deputy Chief Steve Pearson found a calm dad, keeping his daughter calm. Allison's father continued to hold her head until a neck brace was in place.
"If anyone is a hero here, it's Dad," Pearson said.
The deputy chief opted to let Dad continue keeping Allison still rather than risk replacing him on the trampoline. "We wanted to minimize movement," he said.
Pearson said Allison's was the most serious trampoline accident he's seen. He checked Allison's foot reflexes and found none. Pearson stepped out of hearing range and called for a helicopter.
Twenty-five minutes after the flip, a helicopter landed in the back yard and took her away.
"Don't worry about me, Mom," Allison said.
X-rays showed that the spinal cord, high on her neck, was crushed.
Measuring time
Time is measured differently for the Few family now.
Within 45 minutes of jumping on the trampoline, Allison was at Saint Anthony's. Within hours, she'd been operated on. Within 10 hours, sister Erika and brother David arrived in Rockford from Las Vegas.
On the fourth day, she mouthed "manga," the Italian word for "eat" that her grandmother taught her.
On the eighth day, nurses sat Allison in a chair. She can move her arms and wrists, but fine movement is lost. The tubes stop her from talking; she communicates by lifting her eyebrows.
A teary-eyed father called Allison the strong member of the family. She's the youngest, but she's the coordinator and the one who "holds us all together."
A scrapbook of pictures and signatures documents visitors and gifts. There are cards from classmates and schools across the country in this family of educators. "The compassion is just amazing," Jay Few said.
Hannah has visited nearly daily, along with classmate Matt Johnson. Allison and Matt met in third grade at Marsh, when Allison was a foot taller than he was.
Matt plans to be the first person to dance with Allison when she's back.
When that happens, Allison will find the backyard trampoline gone. It was her parting request as she was flown away.
"Get rid of the trampoline," she told her dad.
He did.
E-mail to a friend
http://www.rrstar.com/localnews/your_community/rockford/20030605-7003.shtml