A baby left with a broken neck and paralyzed after being struck by a car has made a miracle recovery through his love of nature, using stunning hikes in the big wide world as a form of physical therapy. Watson Hofer, now aged four, was injured in October 2019, when his family were out on a daily walk and a distracted driver didn’t see the crosswalk lights and collided into the family's stroller. Watson's older brother was thrown out, while he was pinned inside – but, fortunately, Watson's mom, Brighton Peachey, 32, from Maine, is an EMT, and worked on reviving her unresponsive son, who wasn’t breathing, before an ambulance arrived. Watson's most significant injury was the base of his skull separating from his spine, which, in conjunction with his neck break, caused him to lose sensation and movement in the left side of his body. Over the next few months, the youngster went through many rounds of physical, speech and feeding therapy, with the family celebrating every step of the way: like learning to sit, crawl, walk and talk again. Once Watson was able to take a few steps, therapists suggested taking him for walks in the great outdoors, as being out in nature could counter stress and anxiety. At first, Brighton carried Watson, capturing their hikes on video, before allowing Watson to walk along some stunning trails with her and his dad, Michael. At home, Watson would quickly get bored and frustrated with physical therapy; but being outdoors allowed him to push his body in a natural and interesting environment.
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Lifestyle