When Logan Liles and his friends hit the ski slopes one morning during spring break, he thought it was just another day. He had no idea about the struggles he was about to face.
During his last run down the mountain, Liles, civil engineering sophomore, was in a snowboarding accident, which resulted in doctors classifying him as a quadriplegic.
“Our initial reaction was shock,” said Laura Gassaway, University College sophomore, who was on the trip with Liles. “We didn’t think it was too bad because he was talking and didn’t seem to be in a lot of pain.”
Liles said the doctors classified him as a C5 (cervical vertebra) quadriplegic, with a broken C4 (cervical) vertebra and an injured C5 nerve.
After four months in rehab at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colo., where Liles’ parents spent the majority of their time with him, along with many visits from friends, Liles said he is glad to be back at OU.
“I’ve missed OU so much; it’s absolutely amazing,” Liles said. “All my classes are accessible and the Disability Resource Center has been very accommodating to whatever I need.”
Members of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, have been very supportive of his recovery, and some traveled to Denver to visit him during recovery, said Dan McCarthy, fraternity president and civil engineering junior.
McCarthy said he is amazed by the support Liles’ pledge brothers have offered.
“It was a very neat thing to see and experience,” he said. “It was a true show of brotherhood.”
McCarthy said the fraternity has worked to accommodate Liles and adapted a room in the house for him, a project which took about two weeks to complete.
“It has been awesome,” Liles said. “All the brothers have been so accommodating. If I need help doing anything, they’ll help me out without any question.”
After four months of rehab, Liles went from an ASIA B classification, meaning the patient has a little bit of feeling but no movement below the injury, to an ASIA D classification, meaning the patient has movement below the injury, like standing, Liles said.
“Some people don’t even get [a change in the classes of ASIA],” Liles said. “I was just lucky, by the grace of God, that He allowed me to become an ASIA D.”
Liles said his rehab was from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, five days a week for three months.
“Rehab did wonders for my recovery,” Liles said. “But it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”
Gassaway, who remained in Colorado the week of the accident and returned at the beginning of the summer for Liles’ rehab, said she was amazed with his resolve to handle things well and to keep pushing forward.
“Honestly, the entire time Logan was in the intensive care unit, he was the one encouraging me,” Gassaway said. “There was always a very comforting look in his eyes.”
She said there was a time during his recovery when Liles was a little discouraged and frustrated, but that period was brief.
“It has been amazing to see how far he has come and that has been really encouraging,” Gassaway said. “I admire his hard work, his faith and his strength.”
Liles said he is hoping to get back into rehab in a few weeks at the Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center in Oklahoma City.
“I do feel like I’ll be able to walk again by Christmas or by March,” Liles said.
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prayerpartner881 2 years, 8 months ago
Hi Logan, Your Uncle Steve and Aunt Betty Liles are in our Sunday School class in Huntsvile FUMC. We have been praying for you and following your amazing healing journey through Steve and Betty's updates. I loved seeing your picture, especially standing between two dear friends! Wow, keep up the good work. God has certainly been working through and with you. I was so drawn to your story, as our son is a big snowboarder, and I grew up in Norman. We lived on E. Boyd Street. My father Bob Rucker, was landscape architect for OU for 20 years. The test gardens on the South Oval were one of his many projects that made the campus so beautiful. Please tell all your wonderful fraternity brothers that we love them for all they have done to help you. Their selfless love and devotion to a friend is truly Christ-like. You are so very blessed to have them, as they are to have you. God Bless you. I'll check in on you from time to time. Virginia Miller