Scott Swanson
Keegan Burnett arrived home last Friday, April 13, and will continue his rehabilitation from injuries he suffered in a skiing accident on Jan. 28 from there, his mother said.
Alice Burnett said her son, 27, must use a wheelchair but is learning to move himself in and out. She said he will live at home with his parents in Sweet Home and will attend outpatient therapy in Eugene, where he has been at the Oregon Rehabilitation Center for the past seven weeks.
To raise money for his recovery costs, River of Life Fellowship at 1658 Long St. in Sweet Home is hosting a spaghetti dinner from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 20, followed by a screening of the movie “Courageous” at 7 p.m. The dinner and movie are free but donations are accepted.
Keegan was injured during a trip with friends to Hoodoo ski resort, where he tried a jump and landed on his head. His recovery was complicated by the fact that in addition to destroying the the T-12 disc in his lower spine, the accident created bulges around the C-5 and C-6 cervical discs in his neck. He also broke his right shoulder blade and suffered a concussion.
“He has improved,” Alice Burnett said. “He has full use from the legs up. From his waist up he can move fine, though it’s painful.”
She said Keegan’s recovery has been slowed a bit by an armpit-to-hip body brace that he’s been forced to wear since the accident.
“But that’s supposed to come off soon,” Alice said. “The big thing is they’ve been teaching him how to move from his wheelchair to the bed, using a slide board.
“That takes a great deal of strength and stamina. He doesn’t have a lot of that now, so they’re having him do it many times a day.”
Keegan had just landed a temporary job at Entek when he was injured, but did not have insurance.
Alice said support from the community for her son has been “overwhelming.” An account set up at Key Bank has brought in many contributions.
“I’m amazed at how much people have contributed,” Alice said. “We’ve had a ramp built at our house. Greg Mahler at Hoy’s Hardware contributed all the materials and Langdon Construction built it at no cost.”
Burnett was a pole vaulter at Sweet Home High School, where he has served as an assistant coach in that event.
After graduating in 2002, he jumped for Lane Community College, setting a school record of 16 feet 5 inches. He later transferred to Idaho State University, and eventually graduated in 2008 from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in human physiology.
While at Idaho, he suffered a serious brain injury while vaulting at a meet at Weber State in Utah, falling off a mat after landing awkwardly, striking his head on concrete.
After recovering and graduating from Oregon, he had applied to master’s degree programs in physiology at both Oregon and Oregon State University before his most recent accident occurred.
Alice said money raised from Key Bank, where the account is still active, and from this Friday’s fundraising event will help with future treatment, possibly at a Denver, Colo., h0ospital and rehab center that specializes in spinal injury rehabilitation.
“It will be nice for him to be home,” Alice said. “It’s nice not to be in a hospital any more. I told him, ‘No more breakfast, lunch and dinner in bed. You won’t be a patient any more. Come to the table.’”
For more information on the fundraising effort, contact Pam Miner at (541) 401-8087 or call (541) 367-6855.