Greg Carlson wasn’t at On With Life for long – his stay in the inpatient program only lasted 28 days. However, Greg made immense progress in those four weeks, so much so that his wife Marlys described it as “almost unbelievable” how quickly he improved. This came as a shock upon initially hearing it may take a year for Greg to recover and would possibly need at home care.
In August 2021, a deer hit Greg while he was riding his motorcycle in the middle of the afternoon. Greg tells everyone, “I’m still breathing, and the deer is not so I won!” He was lucky to survive, thanks to the helmet he was wearing, but suffered a traumatic brain injury and serious bodily injuries. He was life flighted to MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines where he spent 31 days with no recollection of the accident and making little progress. Greg left the hospital in a wheelchair, having not been able to walk or stand, but as he arrived at On With Life, his memory returned and in just 48 hours he was taking his first steps since the accident.
“I didn’t walk well, but I walked,” said Greg.
From there the progress began. Therapy initially started with walking, balance and simple cognitive exercises, but before long Greg was completing tasks that were catered to his life as a pork producer. His therapists had him climbing fences, walking through uneven grounds and even grilling pork burgers for staff.
“Everybody kept saying I was accelerating quickly because I was working hard,” said Greg. “But I didn’t feel like I was the one working hard – I was just doing what my therapists told me to do.”
A year after the accident, Greg is back to where he wanted to be. While he no longer raises his own pigs, he began a new job at Iowa State University working on the animal science teaching farms. He remembers the staff he worked with at On With Life fondly and is eager to share his story in hopes of bringing awareness to the organization.
“He is truly a miracle and we’re so thankful,” said Marlys.