“It was a 3-pointer,” the 17 year old said about her best shot. “It’s still weak.”
Bergman was one of four survivors honored at Miami Valley Hospital’s annual Trauma Survivors Celebration on Tuesday.
The event brings together patients who have overcome life-threatening injuries with the help of the hospital’s trauma and rehabilitation teams and the first responders who helped save their lives.
On Sept. 18, 2024, Bergman’s car was hit by a tractor-trailer truck at an intersection on Ohio 47.
Members of the Versailles Fire and EMS squads rushed to help, and CareFlight and Mobile transported her to Miami Valley Hospital where surgeon Dr. Yee Wong and the trauma team treated her.
Bergman spent 19 days at Miami Valley, another 33 at the Ohio State Dodd Rehabilitation Center.
In August, she completed her physical and occupational therapy.
“Look where I am now,” she said with a smile.
The Trauma Survivors Celebration was the brainchild of Dr. Peter Ekeh, who saw a similar program at a hospital in Oklahoma 15 years ago and started Miami Valley’s celebration in 2013.
Ekeh said the celebration is inspirational for the survivors as well as the many people beyond the doctors who spend their working days saving lives.
“It’s closure for the patients in some cases. It’s a sense of pride for the (trauma teams). It helps them realize what they do,” Ekeh said.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Like saving the life of Crystal Ayers, who was run over by a pickup truck while running through a crosswalk in Piqua in July 2024.
The Piqua Fire Department, and CareFlight Air and Mobile transported her Miami Valley where she spent three days in the intensive care unit and another 17 in the trauma unit.
“It was a lot of care,” Ayres said.
She broke 21 bones including a leg, arm and clavicle and has staples and metal throughout her body.
After months of physical and occupational therapy, the 10K runner recently went back to light jogging.
“That was huge,” Ayres said.
Derrick Selhorst is ready to get back to work.
Selhorst was transporting hogs to Louisville, Ky., about 4 a.m. on June 11, 2024, when his semi-truck crashed on I-70.
Selhorst was found outside his truck and unable to move.
Clayton, Englewood, and Union Fire and EMS transported him to Miami Valley Hospital where the trauma team and Dr. Cathline Layba cared for him during a 20-day stay.
He was initially paralyzed from the neck down.
After multiple surgeries, including the fusing of several vertebrae, months of rehabilitation, and ongoing physical therapy, Selhorst went back to work the day after the celebration hauling milk for Bowman Trucking.
He has restricted duties, he said, and still needs to get his strength and mobility back as much as possible, but “life’s good.”
“A big thank you to everyone,” Selhorst said. “Premier, you’ve got good doctors.”
Taren Kinnel was also honored during Tuesday’s event.
Kinnel was critically injured in a motorcycle crash in August 2024 near Troy.
The Troy Fire Department, CareFlight Air and Mobile responded to the accident.
He was flown to Miami Valley Hospital where he spent 52 days under the care of Dr. Mbaga Walusimbi and the trauma team.
Miami Valley Hospital is home to the region’s only level 1 trauma center and operates the CareFlight air ambulance service. Founded in 1890, the hospital is part of the Premier Health Network.
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