Woman paralyzed after visit to chiropractor gets new home thanks to donor

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From Yaron Steinbuch

March 13, 2023 | 12:24

The Georgia woman who was left paralyzed and unable to speak after receiving a neck adjustment from a chiropractor has been given a new, wheelchair-friendly home thanks to an anonymous donor.

Caitlin Jensen, 29, had four arteries in her neck severed after a Savannah chiropractor performed the routine procedure on June 16, which led to cardiac arrest, stroke and traumatic brain injury.

After weeks at Memorial Health in Savannah, she was transferred to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where she underwent speech therapy, occupational, physical and recreational therapy.

Meanwhile, an anonymous donor has bought Jensen a new home in Richmond Hill, WJCL-TV reported.

But the house required an extensive makeover with modifications to make it fully accessible for Jensen and his wheelchair, so the founder of a nonprofit called Random Kindness Richmond Hill set about making it happen.

Contractors across Richmond Hill and the greater Savannah area have stepped up and donated their time, manpower, materials and supplies, Amy Barton recently told WJCL.

His non-profit website says the renovations have provided Jensen with an ADA-accessible home in which he can thrive and begin his next chapter in recovery.

The house features a wheelchair accessible ramp, a brand new kitchen, and a music room with a piano for Jensen to ride on.

This could have happened to anyone. This was a freak accident. The best way to let people know you care is to roll up your sleeves and do the work, Barton said.

A GoFundMe account set up to help pay for Jensen’s medical bills has raised over $167,000 to date.

We were blown away by the support and greatly appreciated as we have a very long road ahead of us. It helps to know those funds are there for her needs because we don’t even know what all of her needs will be yet, said her mother, Darlene Jensen, WSB-TV reported.

Jensen, who graduated from Georgia Southern University in May 2022, lost her pulse for 10 minutes before doctors revived her and rushed her to surgery, inserting a stent into one of her arteries.

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They believe he suffered a stroke as a result of the neck adjustment, his mother said.

The young woman is able to respond to verbal commands by blinking and giving a thumbs up or down, but is unable to move the rest of her body, according to her GoFundMe page.

Inside Edition was given a tour of the new house, where Jensen used a voice tablet to tell the news: I’m definitely lucky to be alive.