Kevin Flynn’s Story

Dec 12 , 2008

A car cut in front of Kevin Flynn as he was driving on I-74. He swerved, crossed the median and flipped over before colliding with another vehicle. Among Kevin’s many injuries were fractures to his spine, resulting in paralysis from the chest down.

When I came to Drake Center following surgery at University Hospital, I had almost no movement below my neck. I guess I could have laid around and felt sorry for myself, but the therapists at Drake didn’t let me. We began rehab the very first day, and it was clear from the beginning that we were there to work.

At Drake, I worked even harder than they asked me to, and because of that, they pushed me and offered me more opportunities to improve. The team effort at Drake is one of its best qualities - doctors, nurses, therapists and aides discussed my case on a regular basis and provided coordinated care. My slow but sure progress gave me the courage to want to get back to work and live my life in service to my family, to God and to the community.

After eight weeks, I went home to my wonderful wife, Peggy, and our three terrific kids, who are now all teenagers. Six years after the accident, I am still progressing. I still can’t walk, and my hands still don’t work. But thanks to Drake, I have the tools to become a productive member of society again.

I returned to my work as an attorney part time, I teach the course on real estate transactions at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and I am a candidate for Cincinnati City Council in 2009. I also serve on a number of community boards and am active in my kids’ schools and at church. For the past few years, I’ve served as Chairman of the Drake Center Board of Trustees, and I’m also on the Board of the Drake Foundation. I will do whatever I can, for as long as I can, for Drake. I often tell people that Drake is where you go if you want to live again. It certainly gave me my life back.

 

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