Keith Langfelder

The Facebook page for Keith's company, Quality Seamless Gutters of St. Cloud, Florida says it all. "We have been in business for over 21 years in central Florida and all our work comes with a guarantee for as long as you own your home." Keith's company also installs gutters on commercial buildings. He wasn't thinking about work however on November 23, 2013. He was returning home from a family birthday party at Fun Spot in Orlando when his motorcycle encountered some loose gravel on the offramp as he exited the Florida Turnpike. The motorcycle slid into a center barrier and threw Keith off his cycle.

He was initially given only a 10% chance of survival and was placed on a ventilator and feeding tube. Ongoing severe spasms led to the installation of a baclofen pump and UTIs and pressure sores hindered his progress. His doctors told Keith he would never walk again, but he refused to believe them. Once his condition improved he moved into a rehab program where he was introduced to to a device called a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bike. This device applies a small electrical pulse to paralyzed muscles in order to improve or restore their function. It is not only used for exercise but it also assists with breathing, grasping, transferring, standing and walking. There is even evidence that it helps to improve bladder and bowel function while reducing the frequency of pressure sores. Keith surprised his doctors by making more progress than they predicted. That led to receiving a six month grant to attend The Center of Recovery and Exercise (CORE) in Orlando where he continued his FES therapy. With the device Keith made substantial progress in being able to move his arms and legs while gaining some movement in his fingers and feet. His grant ran out on August 1, and he very much wanted to continue his rehab. His goal is to be able to become active again in his business so he can continue to provide for his family. His wife Chrissy had to quit her job in order to help take care of Keith, even as she helped keep the business in operation.

While at CORE, Chrissy had read about the Joseph Groh foundation in a publication of the Christopher Reeve foundation. Keith's dad, a retired college professor, called the foundation looking for financial assistance to continue the therapy, which cost $2400 a month. Working with the foundation and the rehab facility, Keith's family learned about Restorative Therapies, a leading company in the field of neurological rehabilitation. The foundation worked with this company to provide Keith his own customized FES bike, which he can use while sitting in his wheelchair at home, eliminating the need for transfers.