Learning to Walk Again: All the Way to the Altar
On September 6, 2024, Javier Melendez walked out of Craig Hospital, and the very next day, he walked into the rest of his life as a husband to his new wife, Yesica. Javier and Yesica were married on September 7 in Brighton, Colorado, in front of their friends, family and even a couple members of the Craig Hospital occupational and physical therapy teams.
When Javier arrived at Craig Hospital for neurorehabilitation in March 2024 following a spinal cord and brain injury, much of his mobility was limited and he was unable to walk. “Desde que llegue aquí, llegue sin caminar, sin moverme realmente casi nada, y aquí los terapistas me han ayudado mucho para caminar y mover mis brazos. [Since I arrived here, I arrived without being able to walk, without really moving almost at all, and the therapists here have helped me a lot to walk and move my arms.],” Javier says.
Yesica was by his side every step of the way. “Yesica es la que me ha ayuda más, siempre ha estado aquí con migo apoyándome [Yesica is the one who has helped me the most; she has always been here with me supporting me],” Javier says. “Me siento muy contento, muy feliz, agradecido realmente de tenerla aquí con mi. [I feel very happy, very pleased, really grateful to have her here with me.]”
Javier speaks and understands some English, but with the help of a Spanish-language interpreter provided by Craig, he and Yesica have been able to fully engage in Javier’s care and treatment plan in their primary language. “Craig makes sure that you understand everything, that you don’t miss anything about your treatment,” Yesica says. “It’s really helpful to have somebody working with Javier to translate everything.”
When Javier and Yesica chose the first Saturday in September for their wedding, they never imagined that this incident could derail their plans. After Javier’s accident, the couple canceled many of the arrangements they had for the wedding, including the reception venue. But, when Javier got to Craig Hospital and began progressing in both his decision making and physical movements, Yesica knew they could hold onto September 7 for the wedding ceremony. The couple quickly jumped back into wedding planning and they found a new reception venue just down the street from Craig Hospital at the Malley Recreation Center.
“No ha sido fácil la situación que estoy viviendo, pero gracias a mi Dios, a mi creador, hay ido progresando. [The situation I am living has not been easy, but thanks to my God, my creator, I have been making progress.],” Javier says.
Yesica also credits their faith and their friends for helping her and Javier throughout this journey: “Our friends are like family for us. We are Jehovah’s Witness, and we have a huge family that has been with us since the beginning, since the day the accident happened.”
Now that Javier and Yesica are living life together as husband and wife, they are looking forward to being home and continuing Javier’s recovery as an outpatient at Craig. Javier says he is grateful to his team at Craig for the care that he’s received since he arrived: “Estoy muy agradecido por cada uno de ellos. Muchísimas gracias. [I am very grateful for each and every one of them. Thank you very much.]”