The Straschnitzki family from Airdrie has been through many obstacles this month, but they continue to stay strong as one of their own continues to recover.

Ryan Straschnitzki and members of his family spoke at Foothills Hospital today (April 25th), as Ryan continues his rehabilitation work.

Ryan Straschnitzki with his Dad Tom, Mother Michelle and Boxing Coach Cody Thompson at the Foothills Hospital.

The family spoke about the bus crash that left Ryan paralyzed from the chest down but more importantly, how they’ve grown stronger since then.

Ryan’s Father Tom explains how the last few weeks have been for him and his family.

“It’s been a big-time roller coaster. When he woke up, we’re excited, happy to see him alive and we just knew it was time to move on.”

It’s been nearly three weeks since the tragic bus crash changed his son’s life forever, and Tom recounts the first words his son said to him in hospital.

“The first thing he said when he woke up and I was standing there with Michelle [Mother] was ‘I’m sorry Dad’ and I said, ‘For what?’ He goes, ‘I can’t feel my legs.’ I said I don’t give two...about that. I said, ‘you’re here, I’m here, I’m hugging you.”

Tom said that Ryan’s next words were a commitment to play Sledge Hockey and hopefully represent the Canadian Paralympic team.

Since the crash, Ryan has received mountains of support from family, friends and even complete strangers in the community.

Tom says his family has received that generosity as well.

“It’s totally blown us away. The day we left, our neighbours had a meeting at somebody’s house. They already had food ready for the kids, had our six-year-old, Ryan’s little, little brother all set up for school. It was just non stop support.”

Tom also recalled a time in the Saskatoon Hospital, when families who had next to nothing gave them money for the cafeteria, so the family could eat.

While there’s no official timeline for when Ryan will be leaving the hospital, he’s confident it might be by July or August.

Tom says right now, they just have to take things one shift at a time.

“It depends how he does in his rehab. They got to teach him how to take care of himself. The quicker he learns that the quicker he’ll be home. We’ve heard sometimes six months, sometimes three months, it should be somewhere in between there.”

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