Bedford man making 'huge strides' in recovery one year after slip-and-slide accident
BEDFORD (CBSNewsTexas.com) — One year ago, Marcus Morgan was trying out a slip-and-slide in the pool when his life changed forever.
"I kind of ran towards the slip-and-slide," he began to explain. "As I hit the water, my body kind of flipped over in a way and my head turned and when I tucked down...I guess I hit the bottom. I was awake through the whole thing."
Morgan was rushed to the emergency room and underwent a four-hour surgery at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine the next day.
Trauma medical director Dr. Ryan Patrick Balogh said he had an injury to his cervical spine, including a spinal cord.
"I was obviously very scared," Morgan said. "I didn't know if I was going to be paralyzed. I didn't know what the outcome was going to be. The only thing I could do was pray."
Dr. Balogh said they see injuries like his more commonly in the summertime.
"People are out playing by the pools. Some patients have a complete transection of the spinal cord, which means there's going to be no recovery below that level of the spinal cord," he said. "Other patients just have an injury that pinches the spinal cord or puts compression or pressure on it and that can take out some nerves."
Balogh said Morgan was rendered quadriplegic, but has already made huge strides.
"I wasn't supposed to have my arms at all when I was injured, and now I do," Morgan said.
His recovery comes through strength his mom, Catherine, didn't know he had. "It's impressive to watch."
Morgan said he is forever grateful to the medical team that's helped him every step of the way.
"They mean the world to me," he said. "They saved my life."
