24-year-old finds rehab success at Life Care Center of the North Shore

When 24-year-old Jason Gile arrived at Life Care Center of the North Shore in Lynn, Massachusetts, on June 23, 2017, he wasn't given the best odds.

It had been six months since Gile was hit by a motor vehicle and sustaining a traumatic brain injury. The injury left him in a mostly vegetative state, with a tracheostomy due to respiratory failure, hypoxia and pneumonia. He weighed only 149 pounds and was unable to eat or drink, with the result that he required a gastronomy tube.

Fast forward six months…

Gile is off the feeding tube (since Aug. 29) and is able to drink thin liquids. He is currently trying pureed foods and has reached his goal weight of 169 pounds. There is even hope for a regular diet in the not-too-distant future.

Gile works frequently with a music therapist and has progressed from humming a tune to full-on impromptu singing his favorite songs. He is even playing a guitar rather well. His social interaction has also progressed to laughing and joking, often with sarcasm. He is also propelling himself in his wheelchair.

"Currently, the sky is the limit for Jason," said Aaron Pervier, director of rehab. "Each week, he progresses in some way. One thing we know for sure: the infectious feeling of hope has spread to all our staff. We all feel proud to know and be associated with Jason's progress."