Rob Summers has been a volunteer with the St. X baseball team. He helped coach a fall team last year as well as worked with some of the players. He pitched for a NCAA National Championship Baseball team, Oregon State. He was involved in a hit and run accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He has been in a wheel chair since the accident—until recently.

 

A front page story in today’s Courier-Journal summarized Summers’ involvement in a research project that is trying to help him walk again. He had a nerve stimulator placed in his spine and received extensive physical therapy to retrain his muscles. “Now, he can now push himself to a standing position and stand for up to four minutes on his own. He can also make repeated stepping motions with help, and voluntarily move his toes, ankles, knees and hips. His success is the subject of a study published Friday in the prestigious British medical journal The Lancet.” (Story in Louisville Courier-Journal: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2011305200008 )

 

Rob is a remarkable young man with an unbelievable spirit and exceptional determination. He has overcome odds that few, if any, have been able to do. I am grateful that he has been a part of my son’s life and I wish him the very best in the future. He moved to California last fall after living in Louisville for the last few years. He will be sorely missed.

The story about Rob Summers, I guess with the publication of the experimental surgery in The Lancet, is making international news and is in many major news media and publications. Here are just some of the news stories:

 

CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20064675-10391704.html

 

Associated Press/Yahoo News: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=25294072

 

British Broadcasting Company: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13444036

 

United Press International: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/05/20/UPI-NewsTrack-Health-and-Science-News/UPI-13561305927992/

 

Time, INC: http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/20/medical-breakthrough-paraplegic-man-stands-up/

 

Wall Street Journal: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2011/05/20/paralysis-research-breakthrough-points-to-combination-treatments/?mod=google_news_blog