Dylan Schilt, a Laramie firefighter, walked out of a physical therapy centre in Denver after 16 weeks of gruelling recovery, knowing that his most difficult steps were still ahead.
A massive stone fireplace chase collapsed on Schilt and another firefighter on February 28 while they were responding to a report of heavy smoke in a rural Albany County home.
Schilt, 32, suffered a broken back, shattered ankle, and collapsed lung, leaving him temporarily paralysed from the waist down.
The other firefighter sustained a serious knee injury.
Surpassing expectations
His father, Mike Schilt, previously told Cowboy State Daily that it was unclear whether he would survive the first few hours following the accident.
Initially, doctors doubted he’d ever walk again.
In an interview shortly after the incident, Schilt described feeling his legs go numb as a result of the chimney chase collapse.
During his inpatient physical therapy, he worked hard to regain basic movements. Then standing. And finally, take a few steps.
Last week, he walked out of the physical therapy centre and was greeted by his fellow firefighters.
It was only a short stroll, about as far as he can walk in one go these days, but it was a significant step forward in his recovery.
His recovery has exceeded all initial expectations. However, it is unclear how far it will go or whether he will be able to return to his job as a firefighter, which he thoroughly enjoys.
He described leaving the physical therapy centre and walking to greet his coworkers as bittersweet.
“There were mixed emotions,” he explained. “I have mixed emotions about that, and my future there (with the fire department).”
Gone Fishing
Schilt was born and raised in Laramie, and said finally being back home after being cooped up in the Denver physical rehabilitation center is somewhat surreal.
“Being back in Laramie, it felt like I had never left,” he told me. “At the same time, it felt like I had been away my entire life.”
He plans to continue outpatient physical therapy indefinitely. For the time being, he is focused on small victories.
He’s always enjoyed being outside, and he recently returned to it. He and his brothers celebrated Father’s Day by going fishing with their father.
“Sitting in the boat fishing, I never thought that would happen again, at least not just a few months after the accident,” he told me.
This weekend marks Schilt’s birthday, and another fishing trip is planned.
And he is determined to go hunting this autumn.
“I didn’t draw any of my tags this year, so we’re just going to have to go with general deer and elk tags,” he told me.
That means he’ll need to continue working on his walking.
“I can walk, but it’s not great yet. “All of this is still in the air,” he stated.
He frequently uses braces and, on occasion, crutches.
The most difficult aspect for him is maintaining his balance, he admitted. While he gradually regains muscle strength, damaged nerves recover as well.
‘I Want To Teach My Kids How To Hunt And Fish And Hike’
Regardless of whether he returns to firefighting or takes another career path, the last thing Schilt plans to do is say still.Â
His passion for the outdoors in Wyoming fuels his drive.
“My goal is to get back to what I enjoy. “How I used to enjoy them, or at least get as much enjoyment out of them,” he explained.
His family instilled these values in him, and he hopes to one day have children and teach them about Wyoming traditions.
“Someday, I want to teach my kids how to hunt and fish and hike,” he told me.
