In her own words, Michelle Pyburn “lived a pretty normal life” before her accident. “I worked all day and would go home after work. I was very independent and cared for myself,” Michelle noted.

After the accident, Michelle was unsure what the future held. “My sister…did lots of research as to what the next step in my recovery was going to be following the [short-term acute care] hospital.” Michelle’s sister began looking into rehabilitation hospitals in the area. When she found Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Michelle recalled watching the facility’s construction. “Ironically, I passed by this place several times while it was being built,” she said. “I wondered what type of building it was going to be. I never thought that I would be staying here, receiving therapy!”

But Michelle is glad she did. “I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t come here.”

Family would be the fuel for Michelle’s recovery. “They are what keeps me motivated,” she said. “I haven’t seen them in two months and miss them dearly.” Michelle’s mother and sister, in particular, played key roles. “They have helped me get through my most difficult days. Times that I have felt too tired to work, I think of them and push myself to get through it. They have supported and motivated me to get better.”

In addition to her family, Michelle drew on her faith. “God also motivates me,” she said. “He gave me a second chance.”

While working on her recovery at RHNI, two staff members made a significant impact on Michelle. “Louie and Rachel, they have encouraged me and motivated me during therapy. Rachel is so compassionate. Having lost the ability to move my arm has been the most difficult thing to cope with, so Rachel has worked the hardest in trying to get me back to normal.”

“I feel very blessed to be here,” Michelle shared. “I have learned and gained so much. Everyone is amazing, friendly, and humble, from the nursing staff to housekeeping to the kitchen staff.”

Though Michelle is grateful for her stay at RHNI, she looks forward to returning home. “I am excited to get back to work. I miss my co-workers very much. I miss my consumers a lot, too. I am very committed and dedicated to my job. Not having that face-to-face contact is not only hard on my consumers, but it is hard on me, as well.”

Before his accident, Gary Gabrich lived a very active life. Years ago, Gary and his wife, JoAnn, were in search of a new hobby to enjoy together. They found the Michiana Bicycle Association. The couple joined the club at age 50 and would ride up to 25 miles per trip. Now 78, Gary was still peddling away.

Deciding to challenge himself, Gary planned a 31-mile bike trip down to Potato Creek State Park. He ended up running into some unforeseen trouble on this new terrain, resulting in an accident. A passing car pulled over to assist Gary and called 9-1-1. EMS transported Gary to Memorial Hospital for evaluation. In the accident, Gary suffered fractures in his left leg and shattered his left elbow. After surgery to repair the injuries, Gary was in need of inpatient rehabilitation. He was referred to Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Indiana (RHNI) to regain his highest possible level of function.

After hearing about RHNI from a family friend, Gary decided it was “the place to be.” He couldn’t be more pleased with that decision, having made great progress. Gary has increased his range of motion and gained back strength and endurance. “My rehab team is superb,” he said, with a special shout out to physical therapists, Louie and Chris. “And I love the food here,” Gary added.

Gary has some big goals still. He looks forward to returning home to cruise around in his restored 1985 Mercedes-Benz SL roadster. Gary spent the last ten months working on the roadster before his injuries. He also looks forward to spending time with family and friends, and enjoying another newfound hobby — “amateur genealogist.”