On Monday, Nov. 14, Teddy started his day just as any other. But around 8 a.m., everything came to a crashing halt for this 17-year-old Davis County High School senior.

Although he doesn’t remember the accident, Teddy knows he was involved in a head-on collision with a school bus on County Road V64 in Van Buren County. He remembers being pried from his Ford Taurus by the Jaws of Life. He knows he is very lucky to be alive.

Teddy was taken to Van Buren County Hospital and from there, was flown to the University of Iowa Hospital where his injuries were treated. He suffered two broken legs above the knee, a dislocated left elbow, several shattered bones in his right hand and a dislocated right thumb tendon. Once Teddy was stable enough to leave, he came to ChildServe for rehabilitation at the recommendation of U of I Hospital staff.

“When I found out about my injuries, I was actually a little relieved because I know that it could have been much worse,” says Teddy. “I remember laying on the ground, half of my body outside my vehicle and my legs still pinned against the dashboard inside. I remember lifting my hand and seeing my thumb flop out of position. So when I found out that I’d be able to walk and that everything was repairable, I figured it all wasn’t so bad compared to the possibilities.”

The Friday prior to the accident, Teddy had waited in line for hours to purchase a computer game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the day of its release—something he’d been anticipating for four years. He got a few hours in with the game at home over the weekend, but because of the casts on both his arms, he assumed he wouldn’t be able to play until he was able to return home in good health.

Boy, was he wrong.

Recreational Therapy Supervisor Jeff Dirks believes every problem has a solution if you let go of all the boundaries and think outside the box. Jeff’s job is to find ways to let kids play their way at ChildServe. When Teddy arrived, Jeff asked what he likes to do for fun at home. When he found out about the game Teddy had bought, he asked what it would take for him to be able to play it during his stay here.

Jeff talked to Electric Specialist Jack Grimes who began to tinker and found a way to rig the computer set-up so that Teddy would be able to play the computer game… with his feet! Jack developed a pad that sits on the floor, with a “right-click” for the right foot and a “left-click” for the left foot.

“The ingenuity of what Jack created is just incredible,” says Teddy. “I understood the concept behind what he wanted to do, but never would have been able to find a way to make it happen.”

The will for ChildServe’s staff to put a personal touch on Teddy’s experience here didn’t start or stop with finding a way for him to play his favorite game.

“I’ve loved my stay here,” he says. “The staff spent the first week I was here asking what they could change, finding equipment that works for me, adjusting things and just finding out what my needs were.” Teddy admits that the superb care and attention he’s received at ChildServe leaves him feeling a bit apprehensive about returning home. “The staff have been so wonderful and patient with me.”

Teddy’s three-week stay at ChildServe was met with genuine care and concern, effort and compassion. Although his stay here was short, the memory of how he was encouraged to truly make himself at home will last a lifetime.