WATCH: Eau Gallie High School Student Alexis Halbert, 15, Fights to Recover after Equestrian Accident
By Steve Wilson // August 26, 2020
was diagnosed with break in T6 and T7 vertebrae
SPACE COAST DAILY TV: In the latest edition of “Sit Down with Steve,” the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson talks with Alexis Halbert, a sophomore at Eau Gallie High School who was involved in a serious accident while participating in an equestrian competition in North Carolina last month.
From the possibility of never walking again, to where she is today, Alexis Halbert uses the word “miracle” to describe what has transpired.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – July 18, 2020, was supposed to be a typical day in Tryon, North Carolina. With a high forecast to be in the mid-90s, the weather was going to be perfect for the Tryon Summer 6 competition at the Tryon International Equestrian Center.
However, it turned out to be anything but typical for 15-year-old Alexis Halbert of Melbourne, Florida.
The sophomore from Eau Gallie High School was entered in the equestrian event and would be riding her mare – “Charisma.”
Her first round of jumps went perfectly. According to Alexis, it was a “routine, textbook round.”
She then moved on to the jump-off, which is a shorter version of the previous round. The first half of the jump-off went well.
Unfortunately, on the last jump of the round, Charisma jumped from too far away and her legs became entangled in the rails.
In the blink of an eye, the unthinkable occurred – Alexis was thrown from her mare in what is called a rotational fall. She landed flat on her back, with her mare landing on her arm and shoulder.
Sadly, Charisma did not survive the fall, and Alexis was in trouble as she broke her back.
CLICK HERE to donate to Alexis Halbert’s recovery fund.
Alexis does not remember a lot of the accident. She recalls laying on the ground being in excruciating pain, with her trainer, Hector Florentino, by her side.
She remembers bits and pieces – being put on the golf cart and taken to the helicopter, seeing her mother’s face before she was airlifted out, and a few other incidentals.
Her next solid memory is waking up in the hospital after surgery.
Alexis was diagnosed with a break in the T6 and T7 vertebrae. She also had blood in her spinal cord. Part of her surgery consisted of inserting two rods and eight screws in her back.
After a 10-day stay at a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, Alexis was transported via ambulance to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia to begin her rehabilitation.
Her progress has been nothing short of incredible after one of her doctors early on gave her no hope. When she wiggled her toes, the doctor said that was just a “reflex” – but Alexis knew better.
She went from no movement in her legs, to be able to wiggle her toes, to have some feeling in her legs, and now, movement in her legs.
CLICK HERE to donate to Alexis Halbert’s recovery fund.
From the possibility of never walking again, to where she is today, Alexis uses the word “miracle” to describe what has transpired.
There are multiple factors that have allowed Alexis to progress as she has.
She can not say enough good things about the staff at the Shepherd Center. Alexis talks about her nurses and therapists being “by me every step of the way.” She considers herself blessed to have a spot at the facility.
She talks about the massive number of people that are supporting her; having received hundreds of letters and packages, and thousands of messages.
Florentino set up an account on Facebook to raise funds to help offset the cost of her treatments. Dianna Babington, whose husband Kevin was in a similar accident, contacted the family early on to offer advice and support. The response has been amazing! Alexis says, “ I can’t believe there are that many people supporting me.”
CLICK HERE to donate to Alexis Halbert’s recovery fund.
Alexis’ mom and dad, Liz and David Halbert, have been with her throughout the ordeal.
When talking about the support her daughter has received, Liz says, “I could never imagine the outpouring of love and support for our daughter. So many strangers have touched our lives. It is hard to wrap my head around. We are so blessed.”
Liz went on to say, “I told Alexis, and everyone from the beginning, that no matter the outcome of the accident, it did not change who Alexis is. Her spirit and soul remain the same.”
Alexis Halbert is one special young lady. It would have been easy to shut down and say, why me? To see how far she has come, when the odds were stacked against her, speaks volumes of her character. She is truly an inspiration.
CLICK HERE to donate to Alexis Halbert’s recovery fund.
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