Spring Break
Student returns for senior year after massive collision on Highway 99W
Doctors weren't sure McClellan would recover from five-car pileup in 2007
Makenna Bishop
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: News
"There was a different mood to his talking," Catts said. "The inside jokes we all had with him were no longer there."
Along with the memory loss, McClellan was told to expect changes in his personality. He said he was fortunate the injury didn't affect anything more.
McClellan was required to participate in physical therapy where he had to relearn how to walk and regain a sense of balance. He also had occupational therapy, which tested his skills at handling everyday life situations.
"Walking to the side without falling over was a challenge," McClellan said. "Relearning these basic skills was really frustrating. There were certain things that I knew I knew but I couldn't remember any of it."
Despite what doctors said after the accident, McClellan was back at school as a part-time student in the spring. As of fall term of this year, he was enrolled again as a full-time student, putting him back on track to graduate in June.
He said his transition back to school was tough, as he was still being gradually reintroduced to his personality.
"I'd say I'm probably 98 percent back to my normal self. There are subtle things I notice about quirks I didn't remember I had, and each time it would change my perspective," McClellan said.
He said his memory still gives him problems with learning new things and school.
"I've noticed how much longer it takes me to learn something now, and I get really frustrated," McClellan said. "I had to relearn how to balance my time, taking into account how much more studying I would have to do."
Adam Bromley, a junior in construction engineering management, has been McClellan's roommate for the past two years and said he was surprised at how well McClellan handled the experience.
Bromley said that while McClellan would get stressed about school and grades, it was his faith in God that got him through.
"This experience reminded me that you can die at any minute and that life really is fragile," McClellan said. "It has given me a new perspective for my future and how I can better help the people who will need my expertise on different options of health-care and insurance."
Along with the memory loss, McClellan was told to expect changes in his personality. He said he was fortunate the injury didn't affect anything more.
McClellan was required to participate in physical therapy where he had to relearn how to walk and regain a sense of balance. He also had occupational therapy, which tested his skills at handling everyday life situations.
"Walking to the side without falling over was a challenge," McClellan said. "Relearning these basic skills was really frustrating. There were certain things that I knew I knew but I couldn't remember any of it."
Despite what doctors said after the accident, McClellan was back at school as a part-time student in the spring. As of fall term of this year, he was enrolled again as a full-time student, putting him back on track to graduate in June.
He said his transition back to school was tough, as he was still being gradually reintroduced to his personality.
"I'd say I'm probably 98 percent back to my normal self. There are subtle things I notice about quirks I didn't remember I had, and each time it would change my perspective," McClellan said.
He said his memory still gives him problems with learning new things and school.
"I've noticed how much longer it takes me to learn something now, and I get really frustrated," McClellan said. "I had to relearn how to balance my time, taking into account how much more studying I would have to do."
Adam Bromley, a junior in construction engineering management, has been McClellan's roommate for the past two years and said he was surprised at how well McClellan handled the experience.
Bromley said that while McClellan would get stressed about school and grades, it was his faith in God that got him through.
"This experience reminded me that you can die at any minute and that life really is fragile," McClellan said. "It has given me a new perspective for my future and how I can better help the people who will need my expertise on different options of health-care and insurance."
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