Gerald Howell’s Christmas wish suddenly seemed out of reach when he suffered a severe stroke just before the holidays. But thanks to the care and support of his care team at Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation, he was able to bring joy to his fellow patients, while uplifting and restoring his own spirit in a festive (special) way.
On Oct. 17, Gerald suffered a stroke and was admitted to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, in critical condition. The 52-year-old husband and father of twin daughters, lost his ability to walk, had speech deficits and difficulty performing fundamental daily tasks.
About two weeks later, Gerald began his rehabilitation journey at the Atrium Health Pineville Rehabilitation Hospital.
While he made steady progress, there was one goal that constantly weighed on his mind. Gerald was looking forward to appearing as Santa Claus at a local charity event for children in December. He’d even been growing out his beard and had a sack of candy canes ready.
“Back in October, he was telling us that he was going to volunteer at this charity event to be Santa Claus, so, he wanted to make sure he was out of rehabilitation by then,” says Sherell Smalls, Gerald’s social worker in clinical care management at Atrium Health Pineville Rehabilitation Hospital.
But as the weeks progressed into December, Gerald watched his dream of wearing the Santa suit and bringing joy to children fade. Although he was beginning to walk again, his overall recovery was unable to keep pace with the relentless march of time and on Dec. 5, he had to make the call to cancel his appearance at the upcoming charity event.
“It was devastating to him,” says Sherell. “That just tugged at all my heartstrings and so, as his care team, we knew we had to do something to fulfill his wish. We thought, ‘Even if he can’t do it there, maybe he can be Santa here with us.’”
Sherell quickly jumped into action and began asking around Carolinas Rehabilitation to find a Santa suit. Time was slipping away too, as Gerald was set to discharge and continue his next phase of rehabilitation in just a few days. The very next morning, the Santa suit appeared, courtesy of Todd Bennett, administrator of Pineville Rehabilitation Hospital and vice president of Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation.
Sherell and Gerald’s occupational therapist, Elizabeth Hauser, shared with him the good news and asked if he wanted to wear the suit to deliver his red-and-white-spiraled candy canes to his fellow patients.
“I knew I had to just get out and do it,” Gerald says, overcome with emotion. “Even though I had stroke, I knew I had to do it.”
After almost two months overcoming challenges resulting from his stroke, he had finally become Santa.
Gerald’s rehabilitation care team trimmed his walker with shiny, silver garland and joined him as he visited patients’ rooms, nurses’ stations and finally the Christmas tree in the main welcome area, where he posed for pictures with everyone. An emotional moment came when a patient asked him to bellow Santa’s signature phrase, and Gerald put everything he had into a joyful and triumphant, “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!”
“It was good that the occupational therapist, Elizabeth, was with me to help me get dressed and help me walk and do it,” Gerald says. “It was something that I really needed to do for myself.”
Gerald’s rehabilitation journey highlights the depth and caliber of expert care of Carolinas Rehabilitation No. 1 Best Rehabilitation Hospital in the Carolinas and the Southeast, receiving highest ranking from U.S. News and World Report. As a leader within Atrium Health and Advocate Health, Carolinas Rehabilitation’s reputation for expertise and compassion helps patients like Gerald get back on their feet, Restoring Quality To Life and the holiday spirit, for all.
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