KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A teenager who was hit by a car was never expected to ever walk or talk again. But now he is walking and talking, thanks in part to a care specialist at Nova Center who is this week’s Pay it Forward recipient.
Casey’s progress is nothing short of a miracle. A friend of the Nova Center says it’s because Casey has Jeremiah Harvey-Matney by his side.
“There`s a young man that doesn`t get paid a whole lot for what he does, but he puts his whole heart into it. And one of his clients, Casey, he was never expected to get out of a wheelchair or walk or remember things. Jeremiah didn`t know that at the time and got him up exercising and walking,” Kathy Bland said.
“When Casey he was 18 he was struck by a motor vehicle and suffered, he survived a traumatic brain injury. Casey was never supposed to wake up, and then when he did, he was never supposed to walk, talk or anything again,” mom Kimberly Vaughn said. “Casey is now walking without a walker, he`s talking, and he`s able to do a lot more from himself then we ever expected. And a great deal of that is due to Jeremiah.”
“He gets no recognition and he makes very little money, and his heart goes into everything he does with these people,” Bland said.
FOX4’s Kathy Quinn then connected Jeremiah and Kathy Bland for the big surprise.
“I`m just so impressed with you and your heart and everything you do for so small amount of money and I just think you`re awesome, and I know with six kids you could probably use a little bit of extra help yourself,” Bland told Jeremiah. “So what are we doing we are paying it forward to you Jeremiah.”
“I don`t work here and expect anything like this, I just try and treat people how they would expect to be treated if they got stuck in this predicament,” Jeremiah said.
“I want to give Casey part of this. We will get you some clothes or something, we`ll go to a game or show something,” Jeremiah told Casey.