Just days before Thanksgiving last year, 24-year-old Justin Miller was driving home to Spring Grove, eager for turkey and especially some quality time with family. Then, everything changed. 

That’s when his sister, Kimberly, who is an EMT, heard the call come in on the scanner: A young man’s car crashed into a tree and wrapped around it. While she wasn’t dispatched to it, she had an eerie feeling later when her mother called.  

“Justin was in a terrible car accident, was airlifted to WellSpan York Hospital and being treated as we speak in the trauma intensive care unit,” Justin’s mother, Elaine, said distraught around midnight that evening.      
 

Photo of Justin’s car shortly after the accident.  

The family rushed to the hospital, where they learned the severity of Justin’s injuries: a traumatic brain injury with a frontal skull fracture, lung contusions, and multiple open fractures in his legs. 

But this was just the beginning of Justin’s fight in the hospital. 

Steps toward recovery 

A few weeks later, he was consulted to be placed on ECMO, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation where it temporarily replaces the natural function of either the heart or lung organs, allowing them to recover and heal. This bought him valuable time to treat the underlying conditions causing respiratory failure in both of his lungs. 

Justin continued to fight, and his family fought right alongside him. As they were faced with hard decisions, they were comforted through other family members, friends, WellSpan nurses and even the hospital’s chaplain services. 

“There were people that said Justin wouldn’t make it,” said Elaine. “Throughout his fight, I knew that he would not be here if it weren’t for God.” 

Spiritual care became a lifeline for the family during Justin’s journey. Chaplain Paula helped the family throughout this period of need and stress, where they formed a strong bond.    

After spending the winter holidays in the hospital, Justin began to regain his strength. Four months after the accident, he was discharged to WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital. In May, he received his prosthetic foot. Taking his first step was an emotional milestone. He remembered feeling surprised, happy and at the same time like he could cry.  

“I was so happy to head home and return to ‘normal’ or at least the new normal,” said Justin.  

Returning and reuniting with those that cared for him  

“I am able to really remember a lot of my rehabilitation experience, but I don’t remember a lot of my time at the hospital,” said Justin. “It is important to me to visit some of the spaces and reconnect with some of the people that cared for me during the journey because my journey is a bit of a blur.” 

To meet those people who helped save his life, Justin and his family returned to visit the same teams who cared for him in times of great need at WellSpan York Hospital.  

“There were nurses that would come in and check on him and the family, even when he was not their patient that day,” said Elaine. “To reunite with the care team feels like a full circle moment.”  

He reunited with some of the trauma, cardiac and hospital team members at WellSpan York Hospital and rehabilitative care team members from WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital, who cared for him throughout his recovery. 

 
Dr. Joshua Hazelton, chief of the division of trauma and critical care surgery at WellSpan York Hospital, provided a tour for Justin and his family of the emergency department starting with the helipad and then revisiting the trauma bays where the care team provided emergency care for him just one year ago.  

“To see one of the patients we cared for, back to being themselves and showing gratitude, leaves me speechless,” said Jillian Stanely, nurse manager within the open heart and cardiac intensive care units at WellSpan York Hospital. “This is a wholesome moment that we don’t always get to see, but it reaffirms our purpose and inspires us to continue delivering the highest level of care for every patient.”   

 
ECMO specialist lead, Lance Miller, providing Justin with an overview of how the ECMO device operates to help provide life-saving support for patients like him.  

“It was inspiring and rewarding to reunite with Justin and see his progress and resilience firsthand,” said Taylor Werkhoven, occupational therapist assistant at WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital. “We reminisced about moments from his rehab journey and shared some laughs again. Experiences like this remind me why I chose this profession to be part of someone’s healing journey.” 

 
Justin reuniting with Taylor, one of his occupational therapist assistants, and expressing some gratitude for the support in his recovery. 

Looking ahead 

This holiday season looks different for Justin. He is looking forward to spending the upcoming holidays with his family.  

Justin continues to proudly work for a local, family-owned butcher shop as he opens himself to whatever lies ahead, including the path in front of him hoping to one day walk on a local trail. To ensure more patients like Justin are able to move forward in life because of the vital care they receive, WellSpan is investing in a major expansion at WellSpan York Hospital. It will feature state-of-the-art surgical suites where surgeons will use the newest forms of advanced medical technology to perform complex surgeries. 

For more information on the ongoing expansion efforts at WellSpan York Hospital, visit www.WellSpan.org.