Profile of a Patriot

Thursday, November 08, 2007

November 7, 2007 -- Three years ago the world changed for Sylvania's Matthew Drake and his family. The then-21-year-old soldier was critically injured when a bomb exploded in Iraq.

Matthew's recovery has been remarkable. He's shown that dogged determination can help prove doctors and textbooks wrong. There have been more than a few road blocks for Matthew in the years since his accident, but as they say, it's how you play the hand you've been dealt that really matters in the end.

Matthew drake is making huge strides in his recovery. What wasn't even possible just a few short months ago is becoming routine. Matthew told us, "I have gained a great deal of my balance back. In fact, I'm twice as good as I was when iI came. Still, every now and then, I have to be careful, but i don't fall. I'm more steady."

Matthew has made a steady recovery since he was hurt in Iraq. He suffered a traumatic brain injury after a suicide bomber attacked the armored Humvee he was driving. The four others riding with him were all killed. Matthew spent several weeks in a coma and at first, doctors didn't know if he would live, let alone walk again.

Our cameras were with him as he began his painful recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. Matthew has been at Quality Living Incorporated in Omaha, Nebraska, since March.

He's at QLI for what's called post-acute rehabilitation. Simply put, his mother says, he's there to learn how to live again. She told us, "There's surviving and then there's living and at first I thought my son had just survived but now I know he's going to live, really live and be happy. I thought we'd lost that. We take all the things he learned in therapy and we put them into a real-world setting like going grocery shopping so he can make a meal, going out to dinner with friends or going to concerts."

Matt has made incredible physical progress in Omaha. In fact, before he came to Omaha, he had to use a cane to walk. Now he is able to walk on his own, but therapists say his biggest accomplishment is in his emotional well-being. He is regaining a sense of hope and optimism, while accepting the reality of the disability

Christy Anderson was Matthew's health care aide for more than a year while he was recovering at home in Sylvania. She made the trip to Omaha with Matthew's family and she says his progress is nothing short of a miracle.

While it's often hard for family and friends to watch Matthew's struggle, they are proud of his commitment to get through the tough times and they're grateful to the place that's given them all renewed optimism. As for Matthew, he has big plans. "I want to be able to give back, rather than just take. I spent too long take, take , take. Now I've got to give, give, give."

Matthew is expected to stay in Omaha until next February and while he will always need supervision, everyone is hoping he'll be able to get his own apartment here in the Toledo area when he comes home. Matthew has been volunteering at the veteran's hospital in Omaha and he has a job stocking produce at a local grocery store. His boss says he's doing so well, he may soon be picking up more hours.

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