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By Bill Koozer Progress Staff Writer On April 15, 1991, Darin Fer guson’s life was changed forev er. His late model Thunderbird skidded on a rain-slicked highway while going around a curve, went out of control and slammed into a tree. Darin went into cardiac ar rest and almost died at the scene, but thanks to quick emergency response he was resuscitated. Still, his other injuries, in cluding a spinal cord injury, were serious enough that doc tors gave him no chance of sur vival. Darin proved the doctors wrong. Today the 1988 graduate of West Branch High School lives at home with his parents, Robert and Cleora Ferguson of Morrisdale, as he did before the accident. But there is one big dif ference. The spinal cord inju ries suffered in the accident left Darin a quadriplegic, para lyzed from the neck down. Recovery has been a slow and painstaking process — the med ical bills have totalled about 1.1 million dollars , but Darin is still proving doctors wrong. After the accident, Darin had to breathe with the help of a ventilator. At first doctors said he would always need a ven tilator, but now he can breathe without it. Doctors also told Darin and his parents that he would never be able to move anything below his neck. But he has shown slight movement, and hopes someday to walk again. In the meantime, Darin gets around by means of a motoriz ed wheel chair fitted with a device which lets him control the chair’s movement with his chin. Activities which most people take for granted become a ma jor obstacle for a person in Darin’s condition. Just getting Darin up and ready in the mor ning takes about three hours. A typical day for Darin starts with personal care. Monday, Wednesday and Friday after noons he goes as an outpatient to Philipsburg Hospital for Oc cupational Therapy, Physical Therapy. Tuesday and Thurs day afternoons he has speech therapy at home. In the evenings Monday through Friday and Saturday afternoons, he goes through in home therapy. As part of in home therapy, Darin uses a mouthstick for writing and playing games. Activities which Darin enjoys include reading newspapers, magazines and watching tele vision. He also likes going for rides in the woods with his fa ther in the family van, which is equipped with a Hoyer wheelchair lift. Luckily for Darin and his family, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging offers help for people like Darin. Through what are called Level II services the agency, in connection with other agencies, provides services to allow peo ple who are nursing home eli gible to remain in their homes. Patients are not billed for the services, although donations are requested. The agency offers personal care services, which include help with bathing, dressing and grooming. Through the agency, licensed home health aides spend about 28 hours a week at the Ferguson home. In addition to the per sonal care services the aides provide, they give Darin range of motion therapy. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson are in their early 60s, and while Robert is retired, taking care of Darin is somewhat of a full time job for the couple. Cleora says the services pro vided by the Area Agency on Aging help “a great amount. Just those few hours gives us some break.” Darin is the youngest person receiving help from the agency now, and has been receiving help since last September. Although he has been through Turn to Page 12, Col. 2 TO BY BILL KO Darin Ferguson, center, is the youngest person, served by the Clearfield County Area Agency on Agency. At left is his father, Robert, and at right his mother, Cleora. Darin, 23, has been served through the agency for about six months.
Newspaper Details
Clearfield Progress
Clearfield, Pennsylvania, US
Tue, Feb 23, 1993
Page 32
Full Page
Clipped by
Cathy R.
PA, USA 27 Jul 2026
Other Publications Near Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield Progress
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The Raftsmans Journal
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Clearfield Weekly Progress
