FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - After a harrowing fall on a yacht during a visit to Fort Lauderdale in 2021, Nashville resident Alyson West returned to Broward Health Medical Center more than a year later to share her recovery with the neurosurgeon who gave her a second chance at walking.
“I had fallen on Oct. 2, 2021, with some friends,” said West, recalling the incident that led to her serious injury.
While visiting South Florida, she fell 12 feet on a yacht, resulting in a fracture to her C6 vertebra and damaged nerves near the back of her neck, raising concerns about potential paralysis.
“I ended up breaking my C6 in complete,” said West.
Dr. Christopher Roberts, Chief of Neurosurgery, stepped in with two surgeries to address the complex injuries.
More than a year later, West returned to Broward Health for a reunion with Dr. Roberts. Their initial meeting was filled with warmth, hugs, and smiles. The highlight came as West, now 27, stood up and took a few steps to showcase her remarkable progress.
“It’s really cool because, like, I haven’t gotten to be able to show him how I have progressed since the last time he saw me,” said West. “There’s been a lot of improvement and a lot of good things, so it’s cool to be able to show him that there’s success. It worked; it helped.”
West, who can now drive with her left foot, has resumed her work as a pediatric crisis counselor at a Nashville hospital.
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