Support gives accident victim access to spinal rehab

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This article was published 22/05/2021 (1446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the first step in another part of the journey that Brianna Seewald hopes will lead to many physical steps of her own. The Mitchell woman was excited to take that step as she was scheduled for her assessment to begin spinal therapy, thanks to generous donations of her supporters.

Injured in a car crash on Aug. 17, 2020, she suffered a broken neck and broken spine in six places. Currently wheelchair bound, spinal therapy is a chance for her to one day walk again.

Seewald was denied funds for the therapy by Manitoba Public Insurance, seemingly putting the $10,000 monthly treatment out of reach.

“MPI denied that because activity based therapy is not funded currently by MPI,” she said.

But it’s therapy that gives Seewald hope, and she clings to what she was told in the first days after waking up in a hospital bed.

“They said there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to walk in the future, and I’ve kind of held on to that for the last nine months,” she said. “I’m hopeful that by this time next year, now that I have the adequate therapy lined up, that maybe instead of planning rehab, maybe I’ll be able to plan my wedding or return to work. I’m very hopeful.”

Seewald launched a Gofundme fundraiser in early May, and was astonished by the initial reaction.

“I had to turn off the notifications on my phone because it was literally killing the battery,” she said.

In fact, only one hour after being posted, $10,000 had been raised. By the end of the day, $30,000 had been raised, and as of press time the total was nearing $60,000. Seewald is also receiving donations through a PayPal account she has through TikTok and has received funds through e-transfers.

Seewald said she knew they wouldn’t be able to raise the necessary funds themselves, and doubted whether the community could either, especially considering the financial impact of COVID.

But after seeing that first $10,000 come in, she said she was simply overwhelmed.

“I just sat here and I cried because that was a month of therapy, (paid for) in just one hour,” she said.

“It just makes me very emotional,” she added. “It’s more than I could have hoped for, and it is just so beautiful the way that the community has rallied behind me and come together.”

Seewald said each dollar means much more than just the means to pay a bill.

“They’re not just paying for rehab for me, they’re paying to restore my life and it is just more than I could ever ask for,” she said.

Describing herself as a “cup half full” type of person, Seewald has stayed positive throughout the challenges she’s faced.

“When I think of the grand picture of things and how far I’ve come and how lucky I really have been and how blessed I am, it’s really easy in those moments to think, this could have been worse, and I’m still here,” she said. “It’s a miracle that I lived and that I’m as functional as I am.”

Seewald has supporters from across the world that watch her on TikTok. She initially began posting videos before the accident, but attracted a much larger following (currently at 400,000) after she posted her recovery story.

Initially embarrassed to share her current state, Seewald said she was inspired by watching another video on TikTok of a woman who had been crushed by a pine tree.

“I remember thinking to myself, I’m not alone in what I’m feeling,” she said. “I could maybe help someone else.”

With nine months of recovery behind her, Seewald knows there’s still a lot of work ahead. But she’s inspired by those who have given so much to help her achieve her goals.

“I just want to thank Steinbach and the surrounding communities for their love and support,” she said. “I won’t be able to thank them enough or put into words what they’d done for me.”

To support Brianna Seewald, search for “Supporting Brianna’s road to recovery” at gofundme.com.