Josh Gaines was 21 years old when he had a car wreck while on his way to work. He sustained breaks to his T-7 and T-9 vertebraes and was a patient at The Rehabilitation Center at Marietta Memorial Hospital for two months.

Q: How did you find out about The Rehabilitation Center at MMH?
A: After my wreck I was taken to the hospital in Charleston.  A friend of mine who have been a patient on the rehab unit at MMH told me about the care he received.  I then made the decision that I needed to be at MMH.

Q: Why did you want to come here as opposed to a larger facility:
A: At MMH they work with the patients in an one-on-one setting.  This really helped with the length of time I was in rehab.  I was at MMH for two months, compared to 4 -5 at another facility.

Q: What types of things did the staff do with you to get your body functional?
A: They worked with me on sitting up and learning to get my balance. They had me doing drills with balls in order to strengthen my back.  They taught me how to use my wheelchair and to do everything on my own.  They even took me on community outings...like one to Walmart where we worked on doing our own shopping.

Q: How do you feel about your experience at MMH?
A: It was the best it could have been, considering the situation I was in.  But I was constantly pushed to work harder so that I could go home sooner.

Q: What is your life like now?
A: I have a 5-month-old baby girl that I take care of.  I play wheelchair basketball through a team that is sponsored by MMH. I do everything that a person with an able body can do.