John Fitzgerald knows how to show up for other people. Friendly and dependable, coworkers describe him as a “work dad.” After a motorcycle crash, John’s friends, family and coworkers rallied around him as he began his multi-trauma recovery in the Adult Inpatient Rehabilitation Program at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
John works as a warehouse supervisor for Praxis, a third-party packaging company that processes pharmaceuticals. The crash occurred in late August, during a routine motorcycle ride between warehouses. He was rushed to University of Michigan Health-West Hospital in Wyoming, Michigan.
The Wayland, Michigan, resident spent the next three and a half weeks in acute care, where he underwent several surgeries. Throughout his time in acute care, his wife Heather never left John’s side—spending up to 20 hours a day at the hospital.
Eventually, Heather started to ask for help. Friends from church brought meals for her kids. During those early days, Heather and John learned how community can provide a foundation for long-term recovery.
“If there are any caretakers in my position, don’t feel like you have to do it all on your own,” Heather said.
When it came time for John to start thinking about inpatient rehabilitation, Heather knew to Ask for Mary. Her father came to Mary Free Bed at University of Michigan Health West – Sparrow in nearby Lansing for rehabilitation following a stroke, so both Heather and John were familiar with Mary Free Bed.
“I just know Mary Free Bed is the best of the best,” Heather said.
How Workers’ Compensation Supports Recovery After a Serious Workplace Injury
The crash occurred after John had clocked in for the day. He was already on his way to the main warehouse, so his case qualified for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation provides access to inpatient rehabilitation, where coordinated, comprehensive care lays the groundwork for a successful transition back to work.
Just like inpatient rehabilitation helps people get back to doing what they love, workers’ compensation helps injured workers return to their daily routines.
As a rehabilitation provider, Mary Free Bed supports injured workers through:
- Inpatient rehabilitation
- Outpatient-based specialty programs, including work hardening and conditioning
- Functional capacity evaluations
- Transitional programs like the Day Rehab Program
Throughout rehabilitation, therapy goals are tailored to align with essential job functions.
“In my case, it’s very important to me because that’s my family, too,” John said.
His presence was missed on the warehouse floor. John’s coworkers set up an assistance fund for him while he was in acute care. “We’re definitely a family here at Praxis. When someone gets injured or hurt, everyone feels it here,” explained Karen Renkema, HR manager for Praxis.
While John focused on his recovery, Karen collaborated with the Mary Free Bed Workers’ Compensation Team and Paradigm, a workers’ compensation company specializing in complex cases, to ensure all aspects of his care and return-to-work plan were coordinated. At Mary Free Bed, a dedicated workers’ comp clinical liaison supports communication and referrals, including updates to the treatment plan.
With Karen’s expertise, John didn’t even miss a paycheck. She calls the collaboration with Mary Free Bed, “seamless.”
How can family support help inpatient rehabilitation?
When John first came to the Mary Free Bed Inpatient Rehabilitation Program, he was unable to stand or put weight on the left side of his body. Sitting up in his wheelchair was a challenge. With the help of the Mary Free Bed Physical Therapy Team, he worked to increase his range of motion and functional endurance, starting with transferring from the bed to a wheelchair.
After he mastered sitting up, he moved on to standing, taking note of every tip and trick he learned along the way. “You can bank on these things later in life, the lessons you learn. Everybody is just so good and challenging,” John said.
At Mary Free Bed, families are a key part of the therapy team. “She was there almost every day. She got to be a big part of his therapy, which is pretty fun,” said Mary Free Bed occupational therapist Hannah Linebaugh
Heather worked closely with John’s therapy team. They taught her how to help John with self-care tasks like showers, ensuring both Heather and John felt confident and capable to return home.
How can inpatient rehabilitation help people with a multi-trauma diagnosis recover?
When John started inpatient rehabilitation, he was ready to work. “He always wanted to challenge himself,” recalled Mary Free Bed physical therapist Shannon Rollins.
John admits he can be hard-headed. Lifting heavy boxes was routine for him. When it was time to lift weights in therapy, he told Hannah to hand him the 10-pound weights. Hannah convinced him to settle for three pounds because when it comes to inpatient rehabilitation, small goals can lead to big gains.
“Rehab in general is just a humbling experience,” Hannah said. “But it never knocked him down.”
While some people find motivation through their favorite sports or hobbies, John found motivation through his robust community of family, church friends and co-workers. His friends and co-workers provided a steady stream of visitors, though they didn’t want to overwhelm him.
John also found motivation through an unlikely source: a DIY Superman cape. His friend from church made it for him. He’s a lifelong fan of the comics and he even has a tattoo to prove it.
One day, when he was particularly tired after therapy, Heather draped the cape over his bed. She snapped a photo and sent it to their friend with a message: Superman was healing.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Victories Lead to Life-Changing Progress
As John progressed, his weight-bearing restrictions were lifted. He started walking again. Equipped with his Superman cape and unshakable determination, John walked ten feet, then twenty. Eventually, he started walking laps his cape trailing behind him. Other patients started to take notice. “It was quite the show,” Shannon remembered, “But it was inspiring to some of our other patients, too.”
John’s a naturally outgoing person. As he continued to make strides in therapy, his community grew, expanding from his work family and church family to include a Mary Free Bed family.
“You build those relationships with those people, and then you get opportunities while you’re also doing that to build relationships with the other people that are inpatient with you,” John reflected.
What does occupational therapy look like for a multi-trauma diagnosis?
As he was preparing to leave inpatient rehabilitation, one of John’s biggest goals was to make sure he would be able to continue to care for his kids and grandkids.
Occupational therapy incorporates the skills and routines that make everyday life meaningful. At Mary Free Bed, there’s even an apartment where people can practice cooking and cleaning.
On his last day of inpatient rehabilitation, John decided to treat his therapy team to lunch. He walked to the apartment and made his signature grilled cheese, navigating the kitchen without assistance. The recipe is well-loved by his kids, grandkids and therapy team.
“It was a fun last day celebration,” Hannah said.
Graduation Day: Celebrating a Remarkable Recovery
At Mary Free Bed, discharge from inpatient rehabilitation is called “graduation.” It’s a big deal, not only does it mark the transition from inpatient care to patients’ homes and communities, it’s a chance to celebrate. Therapists, friends and family members line the halls to cheer patients on as they exit the unit.
When it came time for John to graduate, he knew he wanted to do something big. “I told them I was going to be dramatic when I left,” John clarified.
After almost a month in inpatient rehabilitation, John donned his cape and walked down the hallway one last time.
Returning to Work After a Life-Changing Injury
When John got home in late October, he discovered an outpouring of support that extended beyond inpatient rehabilitation. His friends and neighbors worked together to decorate his lawn with encouraging signs for him and Heather.
“There’s so many people who care. That was the overwhelming part for me,” John said.
He started outpatient therapy at the Mary Free Bed Grand Rapids Campus the following week, four days a week.
As John continued to progress through outpatient therapy and recovered from an additional surgery on his elbow, he was eager to get back to his normal routine, including returning to work. He initially wanted to go back to work in December, but his coworkers told him to focus on healing.
Karen worked with the Mary Free Bed Workers’ Compensation Team to develop a safe return-to-work plan for John. Return-to-work plans are tailored to the individual, but common return-to-work accommodations include:
- Reduced hours
- Being able to sit or take breaks
- Restrictions on heavy lifting
“When John left, it definitely created a hole,” said Karen. The president of Praxis visited John while he was in acute care. According to Karen, when John walked back into Praxis for the first time after the crash, “the whole place lit up.”
Jay Mead is a fellow warehouse manager at Praxis. He and John started at the same time eight years ago and he considers John to be his righthand man. “He’s the kind of leader we want our leaders to be,” Jay said.
At the end of March, John returned to work part-time with restrictions. The first few days were tiring. His feet didn’t move as fast as they used to. But he was happy to be back; it was energizing to be around his coworkers again.
Jay and the rest of the team stepped up in John’s absence. When John returned, he immediately provided additional oversight and expertise since he works closely with production teams. Jay says it’s been great having him back, while Karen refers to his leadership style as “electrifying.”
John worked part-time for four weeks before returning to a full-time schedule.
Regaining Confidence in the Workplace
Today, he’s back at work full-time. His favorite part of being back at work? “The people and how fun it is to figure things out and take care of each other.”
John continues to receive outpatient occupational therapy at the Mary Free Bed Grand Rapids Campus. And he’s not the only one who’s back at work: Heather recently accepted a job as a unit secretary at the Mary Free Bed Grand Rapids Campus.
“We’re forever changed by this place,” John said.
About Workers’ Compensation at Mary Free Bed
Workers’ compensation is designed to help injured workers return to not only their daily routines, but also to meaningful employment. The Workers’ Compensation Team helps injured workers achieve the highest level of independence. They combine the collaborative care that defines Mary Free Bed with specialized expertise and unparalleled dedication to the injured worker. A multidisciplinary team of experienced specialists works alongside employers to establish clear communication, so care remains coordinated and consistent throughout all stages of recovery. To learn more about workers’ compensation at Mary Free Bed, visit Workers’ Compensation – Mary Free Bed.
