Teen paralyzed after landing on neck during gymnastics dismount
Nov 19, 2012, 1:59 PM | Updated: 2:41 pm
A 15-year-old girl was paralyzed from the chest down in a gymnastics accident in Sumner.
Jacoby Miles is out of surgery at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after landing on her neck in practice.
“The last 24 hours have been very difficult,” said Melanie Roach, Olympic weightlifter and owner of Roach Gymnastics. “She has come out of her surgery and woken up and realized the magnitude of the situation.”
The accident happened Friday at Roach Gymnastics as Jacoby was practicing a dismount.
Jacoby’s father, Jason Miles, said her spinal cord wasn’t severed but she lost all feeling below her chest. She has some feeling in her arms. Doctors think Jacoby could regain movement in her wrists but it’s unlikely she’ll walk again.
Roach said it’s been difficult for Jacoby’s family coming to terms with what the future may hold.
Roach said it’s not a coincidence that her book was also released on Friday. She said that 100 percent of the proceeds from “Lift: Enjoying the Journey of Life” would be donated to Jacoby and her family.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
