Twin Cities doctor paralyzed in mountain fall returns to practicing medicine nearly 2 years later

A Twin Cities physician who has spent the last two years learning to live with a life-changing injury is making a remarkable recovery. 

Dr. Shirlee Xie's return follows a devastating fall from a mountain while hiking in Switzerland that left her paralyzed from the chest down.

When WCCO first met Xie at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in late 2024, transferring from her wheelchair to the bed was difficult.

"I think every moment of life I've had to relearn how to do things differently," Xie said.

Over time, she got stronger both mentally and physically, all while working towards one goal: getting back to caring for patients at Hennepin Healthcare.

This year, that has become a reality. 

"It feels very strange to put on a white coat again and see patients and introduce myself as Dr. Xie," she said. 

Her shared office is bright, filled with pictures of her family. But there is one striking reminder of how much time has passed. The calendar is still marked 2024.

While there's excitement, she said returning to the hospital came with its own questions. She worried about how patients might perceive her and what it means to practice medicine while navigating in a wheelchair. 

"They don't seem to mind, so I think it's just, I put a lot of anxiety on that, but it was not necessary," Xie said. 

Still, she says her purpose has been the same since she was young: to care for people when they are at their most vulnerable. After two years of hard work and perseverance, she is back where she fought so hard to be. 

"It feels like I'm reclaiming a piece of me that I thought was lost for a while," Xie said.