Posted on December 18, 2019
Clementine triumphs over brain injury, internal decapitation and cherishes second chance to ‘love’
Update: Clementine met the first responders who saved her life right after the crash early in February. You can see the FOX 17 story by clicking or tapping here.
Original story:
Clementine Sikiri says the theme of Proverbs 31:25 perfectly describes her.
“I’m clothed with strength and dignity. I laugh without fear of the future.”
Strength and dignity are tools Clementine learned while growing up. She was just nine when her family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan from a refugee camp in Rwanda, where they lived for several years under conditions and circumstances so difficult she prefers not to talk about them. While thankful for the opportunity to begin a new life in the United States, the transition was fraught with challenges and uncertainty.
Clementine and her family – her parents and 12 brothers and sisters – persevered, finding strength in their faith and support from the community, and made Grand Rapids their home. Now 25, Clementine’s found her own path empowering others as a refugee resettlement care manager at Bethany Christian Services.
“I’m very passionate about helping people who come here as refugees – who come here with nothing – to become independent and self-sufficient,” said Clementine, who graduated in 2018 from Grand Valley State University. “It brings me joy to help them create a life here, just like my family did.”
Clementine’s passion and positivity for life – “I’m naturally an upbeat person,” she says – have fueled the way she’s handled her greatest challenge yet.
The crash
On Feb. 20, 2019, Clementine was driving home after visiting a friend when her car was broadsided by a cement truck. The impact was so great it caused her skull to separate from her spinal column, internally decapitating her. She was taken to Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Hospital, where doctors worked to save her.
Clementine’s injuries were life-threatening. In addition to her spinal column, Clementine experienced a moderately severe traumatic brain injury, her leg and jaw were broken, and she had a stroke during surgery that caused temporary paralysis.
“My doctor told me it’s a miracle I survived,” she said. “I’ve always known that life is a beautiful gift from God and should be cherished each day that you’re blessed with it.”
Two weeks after the accident, Clementine came to Mary Free Bed to begin rehabilitation. A halo brace attached to her skull stabilized her neck, her jaw was wired and she had a feeding tube. She also had a tracheotomy for mechanical ventilation to help her breathe.
“When Clementine arrived, she required two people to help her get to the edge of the bed and two people using a sliding board to get her from the bed to a wheelchair. She needed help to push her wheelchair, and her leg strength was very poor,” said physical therapist Ben Wickman. “Eight days later, she stood for the first time with two people assisting her. Six days after that, we started walking with her in the parallel bars.”
Clementine’s specialized rehabilitation plan was vigorous, and included physical, occupational, speech-language and recreational therapies as well as psychology services.
Recovery ‘a human story’
“When I was in the ICU at Saint Mary’s, they told me Mary Free Bed doesn’t play around and will put me to work,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t believe how far I’ve come. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t do anything for myself.
“I remember the day I got my voice back – March 15 between 3 and 3:30. It was very emotional … I talk a lot!”
During the next few weeks of her inpatient stay, Clementine continued to “make amazing progress,” Ben said.
“A great moment for me was walking with Clementine next door to Saint Mary’s and talking with the nurses who cared for her while she was there,” he said. “They were so happy to see her standing, walking and talking.”
Clementine’s recovery was challenging, said Dr. Stuart Yablon, medical director of Mary Free Bed’s Brain Injury Program. During her inpatient stay, she dealt with a combination of medical issues, complications and setbacks, he said.
“It hasn’t been an easy road for her … she’s endured a lot of pain while wearing this big clunky halo,” Yablon said. “But she’s the kind of person who reaffirms why I got into this field in the first place. She exemplifies resilience.”
Clementine endured seven surgeries (with one more to go) and worked diligently in therapy to improve her strength, endurance and coordination, all while wearing a halo that weighs seven pounds.
“I’ve been at peace, knowing I will recover with time,” she said. “The only time I was angry was when I was told I had to wear the halo longer – until August. I told them ‘I’ll just take it off myself!’
“But … I know I’m lucky. I was given the biggest gift – a second chance at life. There’s no reason for me to be angry.”
That spirit and determination, combined with the immense support of her family and community of friends, is what’s helped Clementine heal, Yablon said.
“She needed a bigger room,” he said with a laugh. “What I find most memorable about Clementine and her family, when dealing with not just one but several complications she encountered, is that each and every time, she took it on with grace and with strength and with resolve.
“Hers is not a medical story as much as a human story. It’s a story of perseverance and grace, of family sticking together during tough times.”
Next steps
Clementine made such good progress that she was cleared to graduate on April 26 from the inpatient program, just seven weeks after beginning rehabilitation. She and her family literally danced their way down the hall, into the elevators and out the front door.
Since then, she’s continued her rehabilitation with several months of outpatient therapy at Mary Free Bed combined with a home exercise program that also includes workouts at the YMCA with her recreational therapist. Her goal? Running the 10K race in the Amway River Bank Run on May 9 and maybe the Chicago Marathon one day.
“I want to recover, so I’m going to do what they tell me to do,” said Clementine, who understands her spinal cord injury will always limit some movement in her neck and prevent participation in potentially dangerous activities. She also continues to have limited sensation in her torso and the right side of her face.
“Mary Free Bed will hold a special place in my heart forever,” she said. “I became so connected to everyone. Every single day we did something that surprised me – things I didn’t think I could do … and I’m so thankful. Everyone was so professional and just … so loving.
“Life, to me, is about love. It’s about being loved, about loving people. Because when you’re gone, that’s what people are going to remember about you – that you loved.”
She’s using “the gift of a second chance at life” to “do what matters.” That includes going back to school to build upon her elementary education degree and pursue a master’s degree in social work.
“I’m passionate about helping vulnerable people,” said Clementine, who hopes to return to her job at Bethany Christian Services early next year. She also volunteers her time as a youth leader and with various community organizations. “There are more resources now than when my family came to the U.S., but furthering my education will help me make a bigger impact.
“Life can be taken from you in seconds. You can just exist, or you can live a rich, meaningful life. Life is so precious, and we aren’t promised tomorrow. Just love.”
