Woman paralyzed after chiropractor visit gets new home thanks to donor
The Georgia woman who was left paralyzed and unable to speak after receiving a neck adjustment from a chiropractor has received a new, wheelchair-friendly home — thanks to an anonymous donor.
Caitlin Jensen, 29, had four arteries in her neck dissected after a Savannah chiropractor performed the routine procedure on June 16, which led to cardiac arrest, a stroke and traumatic brain injury.
After weeks at Memorial Health in Savannah, she was moved to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where she underwent speech, occupational, physical and recreational therapy.
Meanwhile, an anonymous donor bought Jensen a new home in Richmond Hill, WJCL-TV reported.
But the house required an extensive makeover with modifications to make it fully accessible to Jensen and her wheelchair, so the founder of a nonprofit called Random Kindness Richmond Hill worked to make it happen.
“Contractors throughout Richmond Hill and the greater Savannah area have stepped up and donated their time, their labor, materials and supplies,” Amy Barton recently told WJCL.
Her nonprofit website says the renovations provided Jensen with “an ADA-accessible home in which she can prosper, and start her next chapter of recovery.”
The house features a wheelchair-accessible ramp, a brand-new kitchen and a music room with a piano that Jensen can wheel up to.
“This could’ve happened to anybody. This was a freak accident. The best way to let people know that you care is to roll up your sleeves and do the work,” Barton said.
A GoFundMe account set up to help pay for Jensen’s medical bills has so far raised over $167,000.
“We’ve been blown away by the support and very appreciative because we do have a very long road ahead of us. It helps to know those funds are there for her needs because we don’t even know what all of her needs are going to be yet,” said her mom, Darlene Jensen, WSB-TV reported.
Jensen, who graduated from Georgia Southern University in May 2022, lost her pulse for 10 minutes before doctors revived her and rushed her into surgery, placing a stent in one of the arteries.
They believe she suffered a stroke as a result of the neck adjustment, her mom has said.
The young woman is able to respond to verbal commands by blinking and giving a thumbs up or thumbs down but is unable to move the rest of her body, according to her GoFundMe page.
Inside Edition was given a tour of the new home, where Jensen used a voice tablet to tell the news outlet: “I’m definitely lucky to be alive.”
