Help Jason Norwick's Recovery Path

6/27/15: Jason was out doing one of his favorite things - riding his bicycle - when he was hit by a car traveling 45-55 mph.  He was less than a mile from home. Miraculously, he survived. Those talented doctors at Sherman Hospital quickly went to work stitching gashes on his face and fixing his broken nose. Jason remained in a coma while at Sherman and had a tracheostomy to help him breathe. 

7/15/15: After 19 days in the ICU at Sherman Hospital, Jason was transferred to Kindred in Sycamore to begin his rehabitation journey.  His trache was removed and he has been breathing on his own since leaving Sherman. Jason's bodily injuries have healed and we continue to wait for his brain to heal itself. While still in a coma, Jason started moving his hands, arms and legs and he quickly found a new obsession - playing with medical tubes.  It was amazing to watch Jason manipulate the tubes while having his eyes closed!

8/12/15: Jason's next journey brings him to Alden Terrace in McHenry. Much closer to family and friends! Jason has started an intense round of daily therapy - physical, occupational and speech. He can sit, with support, and they have even have him standing up! His brain continues to slowly heal itself and he has made so much progress. Jason enjoys holding musical toys and pretends they are phones. He has been making lots of "phone calls" on his niece's remote control and baby cell phone. We started to give him familiar items - his wallet, safety glasses and tools - to see what he would do with them. From the hospital bed he will put his safety glasses on himself and take credit cards out of his wallet. All with closed eyes! At times, he will nod to yes or no questions. 


We are amazed at the progress Jason continues to make, but know that he still has a long way to go. Jason has struggled with seemingly normal things his entire life and are confident that this is another fight he's willing to make. A seizure disorder from a very young age left Jason with learning disabilities and he was always a little "off." To us, he was just Jason - quirky, child at heart, who loves to ride his bicycle, listen to country music, eat pizza and tacos, cheer for the Chicago Bears and watch NASCAR. Jason loves working at Hoffer Plastics where he is an assistant in the tool room.

9/4/15: From cornfields of McHenry to skyscrapers of Chicago. What a week of progress for Jason! He waved "hi" for the first time last weekend, started to give out hugs, took some sips of water, learned to move his wheelchair and took his first steps! Jason has been accepted by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) and travels there today for the next phase of his rehab journey. We are so incredibly thrilled that he will receive treatment at the best facility in the country.

9/27/15: Jason continues to participate in daily therapy at RIC. He is working really hard to start walking again. He can communicate with thumbs up/ thumbs down and head nods. Today he started humming!  Jason is still struggling to swallow food, so he remains with a feeding tube directly into his belly. His patient care team thinks that he'll be at RIC for a few more weeks as he continues learning how to be him again.

While insurance will cover a majority of Jason's medical expenses, we are aware of many out-of-pocket expenses that will begin to pile up as we prepare for Jason's homecoming. Jason has a long road of recovery ahead of him - including continued rehabilitation therapies, nursing visits, in-home hospital bed, and likely a wheelchair, etc. Any support you can provide will help Jason get back to his pre-accident self.  

With Love, the Norwick-Johnson-Schad-Smyth-Felt Family