Nustep Welcomes Pfc. Matthew Drake
American soldier makes remarkable recovery utilizing the NuStep TRS 4000.
Recently, the NuStep team welcomed Army Pfc. Matthew Drake to its manufacturing facility in Ann Arbor, Mich. to learn of Drake's remarkable recovery from severe injuries resulting from a car bombing in Iraq on October 15, 2004. Drake and his mother, Lisa Schuster, came to NuStep to tour the facility and see how the NuStep TRS 4000 Recumbent Cross Trainer is made – the exercise machine that was part of Drake's rehabilitation. SPC Matthew Drake, 9th BTN PSYOP, Toledo, Ohio native and Sylvania, Ohio resident, was the only survivor of the car bombing that left him critically wounded. He was transported to the CASH (Army hospital) in Baghdad where emergency brain and skull surgery was quickly performed. A titanium plate was inserted into his skull, replacing the fractured portion. Drake's condition was extremely critical and he was in a coma and on life support with severe brain and numerous other injuries. Drake was not air evacuated to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany until October 18, 2004 due to the severity of his injuries. He had difficulty with the trip and his conditioned worsened when he arrived in Germany. It wasn't until November, when Drake became stabilized, that he and his mother were flown to Washington, DC where Drake began his remarkable recovery. He has recovered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; James A. Hagley VA Hospital in Tampa, Fla.; Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Eisenhower Center in Ann Arbor. At all hospitals, Drake utilized the NuStep during his rehabilitation. "Matthew is truly an inspiration to us all," said Steve Sarns, vice president of marketing and sales for NuStep. "The NuStep team was honored to have him come to our facility and meet this man who has overcome so many obstacles and has made such a remarkable recovery." During the course of his rehabilitation, the Army made a number of requests to schedule the presentation for Drake to receive his Purple Heart. Drake, his mother and father, Tom Drake, were all in agreement and determined that he would receive the Purple Heart when he could stand, in uniform. With strong determination and will throughout his rehabilitation, Drake stood to receive his Purple Heart on April 18, 2005.In addition, he received an Army Commendation Medal and War on Terrorism Medal. |
 |
