Michelle May

For those of you who remember my stories of “Jean” from a while back- well, his real name is Luckner.. & here’s an update:

I was visiting Luckner and his wife at his bed when a skinny dude ambled by on crutches.  The PT assisting him said in passing, “did you know that this man was run over by that man?” pointing to Luckner, and smiling- (so it was not said in an accusatory way just an FYI/now they are both doing much better way).  She did not know that i sat with both Luckner and the younger guy (we’ll call him “Alex”) when they arrived to the ICU 6 weeks earlier.  A quick recap, Luckner was shot when someone tried to carjack him.   He immediately became quadripalegic & so lost contol of his car- ended up running over someone who was walking down the street- the man who now stood before us- Alex.

I wanted Alex to know how much heartache Luckner had about what happened.  I told him that Luckner cried when he found out that Alex had to have his leg amputated, and how uncomfortable it was when Alex’s family came to visit in the hospital- Alex’s bed 4 feet from Luckner’s.  I remember Alex’s family & how they stared at Luckner not knowing what to say… i had to explain that Luckner was not at fault & that it was an all around tragedy.  At the time Alex had lost so much blood & suffered so much trama that he was bloated beyond recognition… nurses said that he was likely not going to make it.  He was hooked up to so many machines- i do not even know what they all did.  As i sat with Luckner, he did not say anything about the fact that he would never be able to walk or move his arms or trunk again- he moved what one thing he could- his neck- to look over at ALex’s bed about 4 feet away.  Tears fell from his eyes.  It was absolutely heart breaking.   

I worked with Alex’s family- but they did not say much.  The next day when i checked in on Alex he was awake- still bloated and hooked up to all sorts of tubes- but he was actually using his phone to text.  I was told he had been texting all morning. 

To see this healthy man now standing in front of me- he looked nothing like he did when he was in his bed 6 weeks earlier,  I joked with Alex about his texting skills.   Alex smiled widely- the PT said that that was the 1st time that she saw Alex smile since she’s worked with him. 

After introductions, Alex sat in the chair next to Luckner and the two of them talked.  It was tear jerking- to me at least- i could not believe that they were reunited & that they were both alive.  Despite losing his leg Alex looked really good & healthy.  Alex was sweet with Luckner and they even developed a friendship after that where they visited about once a day. 

The sad news in the good news is soon after that Alex was ready to be discharged.. like most people, he had no place to go- but the streets.  we scrambled to find him a tarp or something to use for shelter.  Hardly anyone wants to be dischared and leave the hospital- because there is nothing out there for them- any of us would feel the same way in their situation.  Even when we see progress and have good news, people still not having even the most basic of basics is beyond sobering and unbelievable.