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A Dunwoody elementary school custodian who became paralyzed after contracting COVID-19 has spent the past nearly two years on the road to recovery.
Victor Shumate, a custodian at Vanderlyn Elementary School, first tested positive for COVID-19 around Thanksgiving of 2020. He initially recovered, but was subsequently hospitalized in February 2021 because he was losing his ability to walk. According to a Facebook post, at the time doctors diagnosed Shumate with “COVID-induced myelopathy.”
In May of 2021, family members held a local fundraiser for Shumate called “The VIC-Tory Walk.” Participants were asked to walk or run in support of Shumate and his family. According to an emailed update from Shumate’s sister-in-law, Rita Jones, he began to regain limited use of his upper extremities after he was admitted to the Shepherd Center, a Buckhead rehabilitation hospital that focuses on spinal cord injuries and other neuromuscular issues. He was released home in June of 2021.
According to the email, Shumate has since regained full use of his upper extremities and has begun to regain some use of his lower extremities as well, including being able to stand without assistance.
“We are excited about how far he has come and look forward to sharing with you when he takes his first steps,” reads the email.
Jones shared a comment from Shumate via email that said throughout the experience, he keeps telling himself, “Don’t stop, don’t quit.”
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