ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta man who was paralyzed in a bizarre incident while on his honeymoon in Hawaii, is now back home in Georgia.
The family of Brendan Town sent Channel 2′s Tom Jones a picture of Brendan in his hospital bed here at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital.
Town says he and his wife, Cho, were enjoying the breathtaking waterfalls and soothing sounds of the ocean in Oahu and surrounding islands, when things took a bizarre turn.
It all began when Town took his first surfing lesson. As he surfed, he had no idea what the movements were doing to his body.
“I think that is what extended the back and hurt the spine,” Town said.
Town began experiencing mild discomfort in his lower back that quickly deteriorated to numbness and paralysis.
He was diagnosed with a rare, non-traumatic spinal injury caused by hyperextension of the back called Surfer’s Myelopathy.
“There’s really not that many documented cases,” Town explained.
For the nine-hour flight home, Brendan needed special accommodations.
Through it all, he keeps a positive attitude. He told Jones last week that he’s more worried about his wife than himself. The couple announced recently that they are expecting a baby boy.
While in Hawaii, Town received therapy in Honolulu. After getting released from the ICU, Town wrote in Instagram post that he’s working hard at physical therapy and getting ready for the baby.
“Gaining some sensation in the legs. Still not able to wiggle my little piggies yet, but I’m hopeful,” Town said. “Been reading more on baby books right now to prepare myself for upcoming parenthood.”
CLICK HERE to donate to his GoFundMe account.