“I’ve Come a Long, Long Ways”:
Jack Lowe

“I’m a farmer,” Lowe said, his thoughts, as always, on the work he loves. “It’s corn harvest on the farm.” But a car accident nearly took Lowe’s life a couple of years ago, and he’s still working hard to regain sufficient strength and mobility to climb into his spray-rig tractor or grain cart and drive them for a morning.

In the fall of 2021, Lowe lost consciousness due to a medical incident. He was behind the wheel of his pick-up at the time and ran into an electric pole. His neck was broken. He was flown to Swedish Medical Center, where he was placed on a ventilator. Doctors told his family he’d likely end up a quadriplegic.

Yet after spending two months at Swedish then three months at Craig Hospital for inpatient rehabilitation, Lowe returned home to Burlington. He’d regained some use of his limbs, but he couldn’t stand up or bear his own weight.

“My PT experience has been wonderful,” he said. “They do a bang-up job. I’m now walking with a walker and climbing stairs. I’m still working on balance and strengthening my muscles. I’m cleared to drive again with hand controls. I’m grateful to be alive and to do what I can do. And I hope I can continue to get better.”