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Meet Connor Smith Life was hectic for Connor Smith. He had just finished at the top of his class at both the fire academy and paramedic school and was looking forward to starting work in northern Nevada. It was winter 2019, and he was ready to have some fun. The plan was to ride ATVs at Sand Mountain with his brother Cody, dad Lance and some friends, but a jump would change everything. Connor’s ATV took off but landed awkwardly, and he remembers immediately knowing he was paralyzed. Connor’s mom, Dana Shugar, was at home when she received the upsetting call from Cody, who told her he had an accident. Connor was flown to Renown Regional Medical Center, the area’s only Level II Trauma Center. After a seven-hour emergency surgery, Dana learned that Connor would live but only had a slight chance of walking again due to a spinal fracture. “The surgeon saved his life. It’s amazing how your life can change in a matter of seconds,” she said. Once his condition stabilized, Connor moved to the Renown Rehabilitation Hospital and began physical rehabilitation. “Thank God for the people at rehab,” Dana said. “Dr. Pence, the therapists, nurses and all the employees were a wonderful support system, explaining everything and answering all our questions. The kindness they showed got me through.” Connor agrees, calling the Renown rehab team nothing short of amazing.

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Meet Dave Pierson and his Wife Kathy Dave Pierson, 73, and his wife Kathy were just ten days away from a celebratory retirement trip to Africa in May 2021 when severe leg pain and discomfort landed Dave in the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital. Unbeknownst to the couple, they would not be making the trek to Africa, and it would be several weeks before Dave would be back home with his wife in Carson City, their life drastically different than before.   It all happened so fast. After a prompt referral from the VA Hospital to Renown Regional Medical Center, Dave received treatment for a bacteremia infection and underwent emergency spine surgery due to an epidural abscess. However, once his surgeon Edward Perry, MD completed the emergency procedure at Renown Health, Dave learned there was still a long road ahead. He had extremely limited body function and would need to learn to walk again.  A Husband, Baseball Fan and Veteran  Until this emergency spinal cord surgery, Dave had lived an especially healthy life in his retirement, traveling the world with Kathy, taking photographs along the way and attending ball games for their beloved team, the Reno Aces. Dave, a Vietnam veteran, and Kathy planted their roots in Carson City surrounded by countless friends and family, eagerly awaiting Kathy’s retirement.   The Long Road Ahead  It was those same friends and family who remained by Dave’s side throughout his recovery process.   At the advice of the Renown team, Dave began a personalized physical rehabilitation plan at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital just days after his initial surgery. It was with the help of Charles Krasner, MD, an Infectious Disease Specialist that Dave made a smooth transition to be cared for at the Rehabilitation Hospital. Dave spent six weeks of inpatient treatment relearning fundamental occupational skills and motor functions such as eating and drinking, getting dressed, using a wheelchair and eventually taking his first steps, aided by a walker.   The couple proudly remembers a day at the Rehabilitation Hospital when Dave successfully buttoned up his shirt using a small apparatus designed to aid in the task. "It was a little thing, but it was a monumental thing," Kathy shared.  Dave achieved physical and cognitive victories, both on a small and large scale, over the next six weeks. Kathy visited every day she could, always prepared with a photo of the couple's past travels to encourage Dave.   The Rehabilitation Hospital staff grew close with the Piersons, sharing stories and photos of their dogs, travels and life. The nurses kept Kathy updated about her husband’s condition and prepared her for the journey to come, this included extensive education related to Dave’s future at-home care.   Benjamin Pence, MD, Dave’s lead rehabilitation doctor and the Director of the Institute for Neurosciences, always seemed to know just how to motivate Dave on his most challenging days. As a ranger in Vietnam, the phrase, “drive on ranger” meant a lot to the veteran when it came to determination and perseverance. So, the phrase was used as encouragement by Dr. Pence and the Rehabilitation Hospital team throughout Dave’s journey, becoming a fond memory about hope and determination during recovery.

Read More About Dave's Story: How One Ranger Drove On

After having a heart attack, a Mammoth resident travels to Reno to complete rehab. He’s already lost 15 pounds and gained a healthier outlook on life.  Eric Smith travels from his home in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., to Reno twice a week to participate in Renown Health’s Healthy Heart Program.   “Living in Mammoth, it’s a three hour drive for me up here. Well, it’s my life or it’s a drive,” says Healthy Heart Program participant Eric Smith. The Mammoth Lakes, Calif., resident travels to Reno twice a week to participate in the 72-session program. which includes heart-healthy classes, exercise sessions and cooking demonstrations. “The cardiac rehab program here is excellent,” Smith says. “It is the only program that I am aware of that combines nutrition and exercise together. What’s the point of exercising to get your heart strong if you are still eating poorly and not educating yourself on that?” Smith’s heart issues began when he was 46-years-old. He received an angioplasty, which is a stent to hold a coronary artery open. Two years later, Smith had a heart attack and was flown to Renown Regional Medical Center for emergency bypass surgery on four arteries to allow blood to flow to his heart more freely. An avid skier, ski racing coach and tile setter, Smith admits that it is sometimes difficult to eat right when you’re on the go in a tourist town. Since starting the cardiac rehab program, Smith says he is feeling more optimistic on making lasting lifestyle changes after meeting other people who are going through the same challenges, like food cravings and trying to get stronger. “The big thing is getting educated on food,” says Smith, who has swapped out heavy breakfasts for whole grains and fruit, and steak dinners for baked fish. In just a few months of starting the program, Smith lost 15 pounds. He looks forward to passing along what he’s learned to his friends.  “Everybody benefits from this program, especially if you have experienced a heart attack,” Smith says. “But if you don’t have those issues, you can still get the benefits from eating healthier.”

Read More About Going the Distance to Get Heart Healthy