Patient Story: Delaney Estes Gains a New Outlook on Life [Video]

Delaney Estes of Knoxville was 30 years old when he suffered a tragic accident that caused a T10 and T11 complete spinal cord injury. Paralyzed “from the belly button down,” he now uses a wheelchair. But after surgery and rehabilitation at Covenant Health Therapy Centers, Estes has come a long way and has a new outlook on life.

Because Estes cannot feel or voluntarily move his lower body, he had to learn adaptive techniques to perform everyday activities. After a lot of hard work in therapy, he gained flexibility and strength. He can now transfer in and out of his chair without assistance, as well as get up into his chair from the floor – two key milestones in gaining independence.

He has also had the opportunity to return to driving. Estes has enrolled in Patricia Neal Outpatient Center’s Comprehensive Driving Program, an outpatient service of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center.

Estes expects to perform all activities of daily living at an independent level with modifications and compensations as needed. “If there is something I wanted to achieve, like a goal of transferring myself, the therapists worked with me to help get me there. They saw my potential – and I told them the sky’s the limit for me.” Learn more about Covenant Health Therapy Centers and the Patricia Neal Comprehensive Driving Program by visiting CovenantHealth.com.