Good Samaritan rehab gives man his life back after ATV accident
By Angela Foytack
On June 29, 2013, Randy Collins survived a horrific ATV accident on the Oregon Coast when another group on ATVs collided with him.
“It was the last day of our vacation,” says Collins. “My wife and kids were behind me and saw it all happen.”
Paramedics mistakenly thought Collins would be dead on arrival to the hospital. But he lived.
“At the hospital, they told my wife I’ll never talk, never move,” he says. “They advised her to turn off the machines, and my wife, she wouldn’t have it. Thank God. They said I was dead, and I’m proving everyone wrong.”
Collins spent a few months at a hospital in Portland, then transferred to MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital inpatient rehab for about three months. He also spent some time at a skilled nursing facility, and eventually transitioned back home while continuing outpatient therapy.
It’s been a long road to recovery, but Collins has rallied and beaten the odds.
“I’ve had to re-learn everything,” he says. “Breathing, eating, walking, everything.”
Collins still comes to Good Samaritan every week for outpatient occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. He also volunteers twice a week in the rehab unit stocking the gloves and gowns for isolation carts outside patient rooms. He makes the rounds, pitching in anywhere, sometimes even giving encouragement and support to the patients.
“I’ve been through a lot, and I know this place like the back of my hand,” says Collins. “If I can help someone, that’s my ultimate goal.”
He’s also been known to bring in homemade cookies for the staff.
“It’s good therapy for me, and the staff like them,” Collins says.
His journey has been marked by some major milestones. Just a couple of months ago, he got his driver’s license back. His next goal is to see about getting a job again.
“I really love this place,” Collins says. “No joke, it’s absolutely given me my life back. With everything I lost with the accident, my whole world has changed. This is the new me.”
Inpatient rehab expanding at Good Samaritan
This year, the inpatient rehab program at Good Samaritan Hospital will be expanding, adding 23 beds for a total of 48 rehab beds. The inpatient rehab unit was founded in 1954 and is designated to provide Level 1 Adult Trauma rehabilitation services. This designation recognizes that MultiCare offers the most extensive and comprehensive level of trauma rehabilitation services in our state. Our inpatient program is certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for medical rehabilitation, including the Stroke Specialty Program for Adults. Learn more
