Denver doctor performs rare surgery so dad can walk daughter down the aisle

Few things are more important in a dad’s life than walking his daughter down the aisle at her wedding. It now could be possible for dad after a Colorado doctor pulled off something that was nothing short of a miracle.

Russell McKeehan, a former paramedic in Colorado, has faced decades of health challenges after a serious ambulance accident about 30 years ago. Then, in 2007, a routine procedure left him paralyzed from the neck down and on life support, but he later regained mobility through surgery with neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Falci at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood.

A couple of years after regaining movement, McKeehan suffered another setback when the pickup he was driving lost a wheel and rolled four times, breaking bones in his neck, ribs and sternum. Despite the challenges, he continued to work toward recovery and recently returned to Dr. Falci for a second rare surgery that only 10 percent of patients qualify for.

The surgery took place last month, and within 12 hours, McKeehan was already moving his arm and left leg. Dr. Falci praised his patient’s determination, saying, “What he’s achieved, just with self-determination and desire, is amazing.”

With his daughter’s wedding scheduled for next month, McKeehan now has a renewed sense of positivity and hopes to fulfill his dream of walking her down the aisle.