Jayci Wittmier

Jayci Wittmier was known for being in sports and her love for hockey she also was involved with other things around the community of Swift Current where she lives. She is also known for her kindness to others and being a great friend. People around Saskatchewan know about a young brave girl named Jayci Wittmier and about the journey she is on to one day walk again. On her 16th birthday she was in a car accident which resulted in her cracking her C2, C3, C4 and C6 vertebrae and also breaking her C5 vertebrae, causing her to be paralyzed from the neck down. Despite doctors telling her she would never breathe on her own or walk again, Jayci became determined to get better and getting better she is.

(25th annual Rick Hansen Relay ())

Jayci's doctors said that she would never be able to breathe on her own or to have movement to her extremities lower then her neck but day by day Jayci is defying those odds. Jayci has been exposed to a spinal cord rehabilitation center in California called Project Walk that helps her to regain strength and feeling in her body. The one problem that it creates is that it is not covered by insurance so that means the family is responsible to cover the cost of the treatment. Having Jayci's mom discontinue her job so that she can be Jayci's care giver means that it is even harder to get by with all the expenses. One great thing about this is that the community has become involved with raising money by hosting fundraisers like talent shows, benefit hockey games and benefit suppers. With the money raised it allows Jayci's whole family to travel down to California together. From a family point of view the Wittmiers have become closer as a family since the accident.  We all know that this isn't the ideal situation for a family but having a family closer really helps to get past the tough time we all go through.

Jayci getting treatment

Throughout Jayci's journey it has been difficult for the family financially because Project Walk is so far away that she can't always go. But last fall the first spinal cord rehabilitation center opened up in Regina, Saskatchewan which is only two hours away from Swift Current so now, instead of going two or three times a year, she can go twice a week which gets her the help she needs more frequently. With her friends and family behind her it really helps Jayci along her journey. The center is called First Steps wellness center and is just like Project Walk but in Canada. Jayci is in her Graduating year and she says that she wants to focus on her rehab after school.

On a personal note I really don't know Jayci but when I see her around the halls I see a girl that will never give up her dream of walking again. When you think of Jayci, you think of a strong, brave and determined girl that everyone loves because her story is so admirable. She is my hero because I look up to her for advice in handling types of adversity that I come across and when I need her help I don't go to her directly but I think to myself "what would Jayci do?" Her positive attitude toward life is something we should all copy because we all face some things that we don't think we can overcome but if we just have the right mindset and determination we can achieve anything we want; just like Jayci wants to be able to walk again. From what I can tell from Jayci's attitude, she is on the right road to meet her goal.

Like I said before I don't know Jayci very well but that doesn't mean I don't follow her story and keep in touch with her updates. Jayci is my hero because she never gave up when the cards weren't in her favor, she never took 'no' for an answer and most of all she has the desire and fight to succeed. The one thing I hope people take from my hero presentation is that life is too short to live for the "what if's". If I was beside Jayci right now I would probably say that she is the strongest girl I have ever met and that I am a huge fan of hers and I admire the journey she is on because Jayci Wittmier is my hero.