--- title: "Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury | Sutter Health" description: "After becoming paralyzed due to a car accident, Jimi enrolled with the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Patient Stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) / 3. Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury # Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury * * * 2023 Jimi Brenner regained mobility and independence after a spinal cord injury with help from Sutter Rehabilitation Institute ## Discover similar stories Choose a service topic below to read more stories like this one. [Back and spine](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Back+and+spine%22%5D%7D%5D)[Physical therapy and rehabilitation](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Physical+therapy+and+rehabilitation%22%5D%7D%5D)[Orthopedics](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Orthopedics%22%5D%7D%5D) ## Move Better, Live Better Whether it’s a new injury or long-term pain, our orthopedic teams are here to help you heal and get back to the life you love. [Request a Referral](https://www.sutterhealth.org/referrals) ## Related articles [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) - Patient story ### [Alex Bobowski’s Comeback Run](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/alex-bobowskis-comeback-run-2028978020) Alex Bobowski made a remarkable comeback from a severe spinal cord injury to run 17 miles from Davis to Sacramento. - Patient story ### [Orchestrating Excellent Healthcare](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/orchestrating-excellent-healthcare-1042868330) PAMF patient gives in honor of her parents and is grateful for her healthcare over the years. - Patient story ### [Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356) When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) ## Disclaimer _Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon circumstances and the healthcare provider’s medical judgment. Testimonials or statements made by any person(s) within this site are not intended to guarantee outcomes or substitute for medical advice._ ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patient Stories","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366#videoobject","name":"Spinal Cord Injury Rehab: Jimi's Recovery After a Car Accident","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/817826402001/93184ee8-e532-40f2-abe7-0bbabd40a27e/25430e66-70eb-40ba-96e2-10c988f1d0c7/1280x720/match/image.jpg","uploadDate":"2022-11-23T00:39:46.744Z","embedUrl":"https://players.brightcove.net/817826402001/79bcaa57-54d7-453c-9f1f-8ab3ef7b15de/index.html?videoId=6316037899112","description":"After becoming paralyzed due to a car accident, Jimi enrolled with the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. Their compassionate approach to therapy helped him relearn how to live his life, and now, he has the strength to adapt, overcome and flourish.","duration":"PT2M48S","transcript":"JIMI BRENNER: This is my family's farm\nhere in Newcastle, California, where I was born and raised.\nWhen I was 29, I was in a car accident.\nI remember coming to in the morning at the hospital\nand finding out that I was paralyzed.\nIt was just hard to take in.\nThe doctors told me I would never walk again.\nAnd it was scary.\nYou think about what things that you won't be able to do again.\nI was in ICU for about 10 days, and then they\nsent me to Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.\nAnd I spent about 40 days or so there.\nPAT BLAIR: The Sutter Rehabilitation Institute\nis a CARF accredited inpatient rehab\nfacility that's part of Sutter Roseville Medical Center.\nThe environment is unique because it was specifically\ndesigned for inpatient rehabilitation.\nJIMI BRENNER: There was not much I could do.\nI had everybody assisting me.\nThey had to teach me to transfer from seat\nto bed or from my wheelchair into the bed, also\nto get around opening doors and up and down curbs.\nThey were very, very caring and treated me\nlike somebody that was part of their family.\nPAT BLAIR: The advanced technologies\nthat we have really fit nicely with our spinal cord injury\npatients.\nThe functional electrical stimulation bike-\nwe put electrodes on people's muscles- and then it helps them\nmove as we work on their recovery.\nOne of the unique things that we do here with our rec therapy\nis we do community outings.\nSo the recreational therapists go out\nwith patients in the community.\nAnd it's really to get them reintegrated back\ninto community life, and it really\nhelps with their emotional and psychological adjustment.\nJIMI BRENNER: Yeah not only did they help me for the 40 days\nwhile I was in there.\nThey helped me adapt my house with the wheelchair\nramps and the transfer benches for my shower chair.\nI quickly adapted once I got home\nand what they had all taught me quickly fell into place.\nMobility now involves a lot of different objects or tools,\nyou have to be creative and adapt.\nWhat I did different in here is I added this extra bend here\nto where it sits flat.\nAnd then it kicks you up and then that helps with my hips,\ngetting upright and helping with my posture and everything.\nI'm proud of myself for the things that I accomplished\nand how far I've come.\nI learned how resilient I could be and how strong I can be.\nSutter Rehabilitation Institute is a great place\nto help you adapt to a spinal cord injury."} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366#article","name":"Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury","headline":"Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury","abstract":"After becoming paralyzed due to a car accident, Jimi enrolled with the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.","description":"After becoming paralyzed due to a car accident, Jimi enrolled with the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.","keywords":["Back and spine health","Back and spine","Physical therapy and rehabilitation","Orthopedics"],"datePublished":"2023-01-01","dateModified":"2026-08-14","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366#breadcrumblist"}},"author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"video":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366#videoobject"},"articleBody":"Jimi Brenner regained mobility and independence after a spinal cord injury with help from Sutter Rehabilitation Institute"} ```