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On December 4, 2006 Laura Spilman was in a horrible car accident. She suffered a ruptured spleen, a torn diaphragm, a collapsed lung and another partially collapsed, broken ribs and a broken pelvis. All of her organs were shifted out of place and her aorta was torn. In total she lost 18 units of blood resulting in a severe stroke. When paramedics arrived she recalls saying, “Tell my family that I love them.”
Spilman had to relearn how to walk and her short-term memory was impaired. Kevin Downes was one her physical therapist assistants.
Photo of Laura Spilman © Lisa Aronoff
Kevin Downes: Laura broke my heart when she was brought to the hospital. She had just graduated college and we were told her aspirations were to become a published author. Her family was at her bedside the entire time, especially Alexis, her older sister. Getting her to walk was a familiar challenge but regaining her memory was out of our hands.
Kevin, a burn survivor, is well versed in understanding what it takes to recover and get on with your life. His patients look at him and it becomes clear that hope partnered with courage and determination will make the difference in getting better.
Kevin helps his patients set goals. His trademark task toward the end of his patients hospital stay is assigning them the activity of baking him a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They’ll need to accomplish this undertaking at home which is what Kevin prepares them for. Over the years Kevin has gained weight. And, in the process, he has also had the privilege of reconnecting others back to their lives.
Laura was a writer and Kevin sensed it. He exchanged his baking cookies tradition for a shot at getting Spilman published. The storyline submitted to WOOF Patrol was on Natalie Barnhard and Gabe, her service and companion dog. No promises were made to publish the piece. It had to stand on its own merits. It did.
Spilman has two sisters: Alexis and Johanna and an older brother, Joe. Growing up, her family had cats, not dogs. And Laura never really considered herself much of a dog person. However her older sister started dating a guy who has a Weimaraner and her brother recently got a St. Bernard.
Laura Spillman: The dogs have completely different personalities. Rigley, the Weimaraner, is high-strung and never sits still. Hank, my brother’s St. Bernard, is a big, go-with-the-flow kind of dog and doesn’t realize how big he is—similar to my brother’s own personality. The dogs are very loving. I can really understand why people are so drawn to these animals. I am planning on getting a dog in a few years. Right now I’m working towards a career in publishing and writing. I read every chance I get and one day I hope to have my own book on the shelves next to the great authors I studied in college.
