Helping those Injured to Find Their Strength

Sandrick’s Spaulding story began when a family celebration in Montreal turned into tragedy.

While on their way home from a birthday party, 14-year-old Sandrick and his family were involved in a senseless drive-by shooting. A bullet hit Sandrick’s abdomen and lodged in his back, paralyzing the teen and damaging his kidney, spleen, and lungs. He spent weeks in critical care in Canada and at Mass General for Children before coming to Spaulding for his rehabilitation.

Sandrick dedicated himself to his rehab routine. With the help of specialized braces and leading-edge rehabilitation equipment, clinicians could place Sandrick in a standing position for part of his therapy sessions—enhancing his progress in relearning to walk. “The Spaulding staff was exceptional,” says his father, Ricardo. “Sandrick has made so much progress.” He now has mobility in his legs and dreams of playing basketball again.

Like many of our patients, Sandrick and his family took comfort in the compassion and skill of the Spaulding care team—and in the resources available to him during his recovery.

Donations help Spaulding make investments to better serve our patients—investments in the newest rehabilitation equipment and technology, continuing education for clinicians, and groundbreaking research to advance rehabilitation medicine. Unrestricted gifts to Spaulding’s Annual Fund have an immediate impact.

Sandrick’s parents and siblings are overjoyed to have him home. “We’re so thankful for the entire staff on the Spaulding pediatric unit,” says Ricardo, “including the doctors, patient care associates, Jacqueline our nurse, and Francesca and Michelle, our physical and occupational therapists, for getting Sandrick to where he is today.” Sandrick is now attending high school, continuing his outpatient therapy with Spaulding, and spending time with his devoted friends—and with his new puppy, a chocolate toy poodle he aptly named “Hope.”