Manny Ybarra is a vibrant man who has a passion for the outdoors. He loves spending time with his family including his wife, four children, and six grandchildren. In March, Manny suffered a tragic accident on his tractor that resulted in a spinal cord injury. From that point on, his life was completely different.

Manny said, “Before the accident, I could do everything. I was a very strong man, worked a lot outdoors and on the tractor.” Unfortunately, the accident left him unable to walk or complete basic self-care tasks. Overcome with emotion, Manny began the long and difficult road to recovery.

For a while, Manny went back and forth between a nursing home and the hospital. Once he stabilized, he transferred to Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern New Mexico (RHSNM). His family heard great things about their spinal cord injury program. They were happy to have Manny closer to home working with a great care team.

Upon arrival at RHSNM, Manny began working with his care team right away. He explained, “I saw how hard the therapists and nurses worked, and I decided that I had to prove myself. I wasn’t going to waste their time or let my family down.” He said that during his time at RHSNM, everyone contributed to his morale and success. “Everyone from the doctors, patient techs, nurses, therapists, to the case managers, was absolutely amazing to me. My therapists pushed and encouraged me and made me believe in myself.”

Manny said he achieved his goals because of the support he received from the staff and his family. During his time at RHSNM, Manny improved his mobility and increased his independence.  He looks forward to getting back to his hobbies like being outside with his dog, going camping and fishing, and spending time with his family. After 57 days of therapy, education, and a lot of hard work, Manny returned home surrounded by his loved ones.