TAMPA, Fla. — A program giving freedom back to those who fought for our freedom. Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Lauren St Germain recently learned about the work being done inside the driver rehabilitation program at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital. She sat down with a veteran who is now making memories with his family thanks to learning how to drive again.
“I enlisted in the army in February of 2015,” said Anton Brown.
WATCH: VA Driver Rehabilitation Program helps local veterans drive again
Brown was just shy of eight years of service and overseas when his life changed forever.
“I was a month away from coming home and I got the injury that led me to be wheelchair bound,” said Brown.
Life as he knew it would never be the same. Then, Brown was eventually connected with Todd Keanan and the driver rehab clinic at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa.
“We see everyone from a brain injury to a stroke, spinal injury, neurological disorders like ALS and MS,” said Keanan. He’s a Kinesiotherapist and a certified driver rehab specialist at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital.
He tells St. Germain this is one of a handful of high-tech driver rehab centers in the country.
“High tech driving equipment will be anything that involves electronic gas and break or electronic steering so it’s remote-controlled devices they are integrated into a computerized system and then you have the option to do secondary controls through buttons or switches or voice command,” said Keanan.
St. Germain also spoke with Dr. Steven Scott, who is the Chief of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, who says this program gives those veterans some independence back.
“So that they can leave their homes and not become isolated and not become a no person but actually go out in the community and serve again,” said Dr. Scott.
They evaluate vision, perception, and cognitive skills.
“And then we look at physical skills. So, do they have any problems with their arms gripping the wheel, turning the steering wheel, applying the gas or break with their feet? We will do most of that with assessment on our driving simulator,” said Keanan.
“What kind of adaptations can be made to cars to help these veterans drive,” asked St. Germain.
“Hand controls can be added to vehicles so if they have trouble using their feet, they can use a hand for acceleration or breaking,” said Keanan.
Keanan also said they can add grips to the steering wheel or even a left-foot accelerator.
Brown received his new car with adaptations several weeks ago and now uses his hand to drive. He can also use voice controls.
“What does this control,” asked St. Germain to Brown.
“This is the hand control – like the joystick I use on the wheelchair so forward for gas, backwards for break, left and right,” said Brown.
Now, it’s all about the simple things turning into memorable moments.
“On Sunday, my son wanted ice cream. He asked his mom and mom says she is not feeling like going o the road and he came to me and said daddy can we go get ice cream? I was able to get ice cream. Just the two of us. Having that moment with my son, it brings so many different emotions,” said Brown.
Brown says after his injury he thought driving again and doing activities with his family wouldn’t be possible, but not the future is brighter for his family.
Brown also told St. Germain he is now able to take his son to school, which is something he has always wanted to do. He is also signing up for veteran’s organizations because now he can drive himself to the events.
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