NORTH PLATTE, Neb. --  A particularly slick and icy evening in December 2022 changed Bradley Miller’s life and his perspective. While on duty as a highway construction inspector, he stopped to help a car that had slid into a ditch on eastbound Interstate 80.

He was grabbing supplies out of his work truck to help render aid to an injured person, when another car slid off the road and pinned him between the two vehicles. Breaking both legs, Miller spent the next week at Great Plains Health in North Platte recovering from surgery.

He then came to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals through the specialized program for injured workers, prepared to navigate life in his wheelchair and get strong enough to return to his career as well as his two daughters.

Over nearly three months at Madonna, Miller pushed himself in an intense daily physical and occupational therapy schedule. His goal was to walk again, but he first needed to rebuild his confidence in himself and his body.

His physician-led care team was with him, encouraging him to focus on mechanics and grow his range of motion. As he got stronger and his steps became more natural, his confidence grew.

He transitioned to Madonna’s Rehabilitation Day outpatient program to continue to work toward complete independence, and took advantage of the Woods House, allowing him to stay in on-campus housing and practice independent self-cares on his own while continuing his rigorous daily therapy schedule.

The final step in his recovery was participating in work re-entry tasks.

“Now that he's getting better on his legs, that frees up his arms to do the work that he was doing before and that will only continue to improve,” said Joyce Jaixen, a Madonna physical therapist. “It feels good knowing he can go back home and continue what he loves.”

Miller was able to walk out of Madonna using only a cane to steady himself. He’s returned home to North Platte to continue outpatient rehabilitation with plans to return to work as soon as this summer.