Appleton teen recovering from serious injury shares Thanksgiving message

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) – A Fox Valley teen who suffered from a severe brain injury shared a Thanksgiving message from his bed at a special facility in Chicago.

Brett Jedwabny, 15, was injured at his Appleton home on July 9 in what has been dubbed a freak pressure washer accident.

His family says Brett said his first words on November 1 – 116 days after the accident. In the Facebook post, he quietly wishes a “Happy Thanksgiving” and a “Happy Turkey Day” and expresses his love.

His family added a message:

Gratitude: Gratitude should be easy, just look at the people next to you. They offer the gift of relationships and memories. The two things you will have forever. Enjoy your day with family and friends, and go upstairs, they are always worth it.

The Jedwabny family had to fight with their insurance company to get him transferred to the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, where therapists help him reactivate all his muscles with daily exercises.

The family received support from the community, including a fishing tournament representing Brett’s love for the sport, a cornhole tournamentand a GoFundMe account.

Doctors said Brett could come home in six to eight weeks.

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