James A. Haley Veterans ' Hospital Empowers Veteran with State-of-the-Art Driver Rehabilitation Program
Trivero Wilson, an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran with four tours of duty under his belt, has found newfound freedom, independence, and confidence through the James A. Haley Veterans ' Hospital ' s high-tech Driver Rehabilitation Program.
After sustaining injuries in combat in 2005, which left him paralyzed from the chest down, Wilson has defied the odds in his pursuit to reclaim his autonomy.“ Being able to drive again means everything to me,” Wilson said.“ It gives me the freedom to go where I want, when I want, without relying on anyone else. It ' s a game-changer.”
Wilson ' s journey to regain his driving abilities was guided by Todd P. Keanan, a, VHA Driver Rehabilitation Field Advisor, who conducted his training. " Mr. Wilson is a very good driver and made the driving training very easy. We look forward to getting him a new vehicle in six months or so,” Keanan said.“ We hope to get him a truck, as he is a tall man at 6 ' 7 ".
The Driver Rehabilitation Program at James A. Haley VA, part of a legacy dating back to the establishment of VA Driver Rehab in 1946 at the Cushing VA in Framington, MA, offers one of the most advanced rehabilitation services in the country.
Formally mandated by Congress in 1975, the VA provides specialized driver rehabilitation services to eligible Veterans with disabilities and active-duty service members. Today, there are 49 Driver Rehab Programs nationwide, providing a spectrum of services from basic evaluations to high-tech adaptive driving.