Monday, November 3, 2025
It has now been about 35 days since the crash, and Brennen continues to push forward in ways that are both impressive and, at times, surprising. The last several days have been filled with a number of milestones, some big, some small,but all of them meaningful steps in the journey back to normal life.
One of the things therapy has started doing here is shifting more toward real-world activities, and Brennen has fully leaned into that. He has been doing some of his physical therapy in his actual work clothes, including wearing his boots again. That may sound simple, but after everything he has been through, even getting used to the feel and weight of those boots again takes work. The therapists have also been incorporating tools and job-related tasks into some of his therapy sessions. The idea is to start rebuilding the movements and coordination he will need when he eventually returns to work. Watching him work through those exercises has been pretty incredible.
Another milestone, one that might not sound huge to most people but was a big deal for Brennen, is that he is finally allowed to be alone in the bathroom. In the grand scheme of things, that independence means a lot. It also means I no longer have to babysit my adult toddler while he is on the potty or in the shower. As a parent, I will be honest, I was pretty well over the butt wipes and some of the other nonsense that comes with helping your adult kid through those moments. It is funny now, but it also shows how far he has come.
On a personal note, work has been beyond great through all of this. They have allowed me the time I needed to be here and have worked with my schedule so I can balance being at the hospital while still handling my responsibilities. That kind of support means more than people probably realize, and it has allowed me to be present during some really important moments of Brennen’s recovery.
The biggest moment over the last few days, and especially today, was that we were finally allowed to leave the hospital for the first time.
For the first time since the crash, Brennen walked down the street and was outside in public again. Just being out there, seeing people, hearing the noise of the city, and feeling normal life happening around him was something different. I could see it in his eyes that it was a little overwhelming at first. After spending weeks inside hospital rooms and therapy areas, stepping back into the real world hits you differently.
We walked about a block down the street to a small bar and restaurant. I had a beer and sandwich, and Brennen ordered a pub burger and fries. Nothing fancy, just normal food in a normal place. But for him, it was a big moment. For a little while he was on cloud nine. You could see how much that simple experience meant to him.
After we finished, we headed back to the hospital. That short adventure wore him out more than he expected, and by the time we got back to his room he was pretty tired. But it was the good kind of tired, the kind that comes from doing something meaningful and pushing just a little further forward.
There are still plenty of challenges along the way. One of Brennen’s most hated things right now is the back brace he has to wear. Because of the spinal cage that was placed during surgery, the brace pushes in ways that cause him quite a bit of discomfort and pain. It is frustrating for him, and there are times you can tell it really bothers him. But like everything else he has faced so far, he keeps pushing through it.
Looking ahead, things are starting to move quickly again. If everything continues going the way it has been, there is a very real chance that in the next few days we could be heading home.
After everything that has happened over the last five weeks, even saying that out loud feels a little surreal. But if Brennen has shown us anything through all of this, it is that he is not backing down from the fight and he is determined to keep moving forward…..one step at a time.
~ Dad