GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- The strength and determination of a West Michigan woman have helped her overcome paralysis. Kadi DeHaan was injured from the chest down in a bad car accident four years ago. But Wednesday night she got out of her wheel chair and walked into her 21st birthday party.
"I always knew that I was going to walk again. That was my attitude from the get go," said DeHaan.
Doctors told Kadi she would never walk after a car accident four years ago.
"It was a rainy night and I was driving and I hydro-planed into oncoming traffic and then a car hit me and then I flew out of the windshield," she said.
Kadi's parents found a therapy for her in Russia. They've been there seven times in three years. Doctors take her adult stem cells and put them in her spine to regrow neuro pathways in her spine.
"We also knew of a couple other people who have been to Russia and were getting results back, but Kadi is getting remarkable results," said Bonnie DeHaan.
The idea to walk into a bar at 21 started as a fun motivator one year ago, but Kadi took it as a serious challenge.
"She works at night time, she works on the weekends and then she'll come and work with us. She's definitely a hard worker," said Kadi's physical therapist Sandy Burns.
"Maybe I could have done it with just therapy but I wouldn't have gotten this far but the stem cells definitely pushed me further and I probably wouldn't have been where I am today without them," said DeHaan.
Where she is today is far beyond the odds that were stacked against her.
"This is the best thing that's ever happened to us. This is it today," said Bonnie DeHaan.
Since she already made this year's wish come true, Kadi's on to next year when she hopes to ditch that wheelchair for good.
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