Clinton County First Responders Reunited With Teen Patient

Fourteen-year-old Mikal Simmons stood with assistance and a smile this month as he reunited with the Clinton County EMS team that helped save his life. Simmons suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after being thrown 60 feet during a car accident in August. Against all odds, he is speaking, standing, and on the road to recovery.

“The actions of our team that day not only saved Mikal’s life but gave a young man and his family a second chance,” says Steven Deckard, Clinton County’s EMS Director. “We are proud of our crew and inspired by Mikal’s strength.”

In fact, Simmons’ neurosurgeon says Paramedic Jordan Gardner, EMT Courtnay Evans, and Paramedic Student Christian Swiniuch’s swift and skilled response was critical to Simmons’ recovery. Simmons’ message to the medics? “Thank you for getting me back to my mom.”

“We obviously knew Mikal was severely injured,” recalls Gardner. “We did everything we could to give him the best chance of survival. We are just grateful to have a chance to meet him again.”

Despite his progress, Simmons’ road to recovery remains long. He attends physical and occupational therapy multiple times a week and is working toward returning to school.

Mikal’s mother, Marda Simmons, has left her job to become a certified home health aide and her son’s full-time caregiver. The family is in dire need of a wheelchair-accessible van. Clinton County EMS has set up a GoFundMe page with the hope of raising $2,400 to help them find reliable transportation. The public is encouraged to donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-mikal-simmons-get-a-wheelchairaccessible-van