Tyler Hoog

I photographed Tyler Hoog, a 17-year-old high school student from Lomgmont, Colorado for the Boulder Daily Camera on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog was paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August. The baseball player and junior at Skyline High School was transferred to the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta in September to start rehabilitation. Tyler has been confined to a mouth operated powered wheelchair to help him get around while undergoing therapy. As of now Hoog has regained some movement in his right shoulder and arm but doctors are unsure how much mobility he will eventually develop. Tyler returned home to Colorado yesterday but will continue therapy in February. These are some of my favorite images.

Tyler Hoog lays in his bed as his father Michael starts the process to get him out of bed at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after a four wheeling accident at the end of August left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Michael Hoog, left, straps his son Tyler into a sling to raise him out of his bed at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011.

 

Michael Hoog, left, touches his son Tyler's hands as he straps him into a sling to raise him out of his bed at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011.

 

Tyler Hoog is placed into his powered wheelchair by his father Michael in their room at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA as they prepare for a day full of therapy on Monday, December 12, 2011. The 17-year-old junior at Skyline High School has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after he became paralyzed due to a four wheeling accident in August.

 

Michael Hoog, left, helps adjust his son Tyler's feet as he helps him into his powered wheelchair in their room at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Tyler has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after a four wheeling accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog gets help brushing his teeth from his father Michael as he prepares for physical and occupational therapy sessions at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog was left paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August.

 

A statue of Terry Lee, an accomplished athlete and real estate manager, sits in front of the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA. The statue is meant to inspire those with spinal cord injuries as they enter the campus.

 

Tyler Hoog makes his way from the residence hall to the rehabilitation center on the campus of the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since a four wheeling accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

The Shepherd Spinal Center's campus in Atlanta is one of the most experienced hospitals in the country that addresses spinal cord and brain injuries. The facility treats more than 6,300 patients each year.

 

Tyler Hoog waits outside of the Dorothy W. Watkins Spinal Cord Injury Post Acute Program at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA for the first round of his physical and occupational therapy on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog, a junior at Skyline High School, has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after a four wheeling accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog uses his mouth to control his powered wheelchair as he manuevers around the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since a four wheeling accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog reclines in his powered wheelchair to help with blood circulation during a physical therapy session att he Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been paralyzed from the neck down since a four wheeling accident in August and is undergoing rehabilitation at the center.

 

Tyler Hoog reclines in his powered wheelchair to help with blood circulation during a physical therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been paralyzed from the neck down since a four wheeling accident in August and is undergoing rehabilitation at the center.

 

Amanda Siegel inspects Tyler Hoogs hand, wrist and forearm during a physical therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after a four wheeling accident in August left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Darci Pernoud, left, has Tyler Hoog try and flex his muscles while she holds his arm during an occupational therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been paralyzed from the neck down since August when he was injured in a four wheeling accident.

 

Tyler Hoog, left, has his arm stretched by occupational therapist Darci Pernoud during a therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog, a junior at Skyline High School, was left paralyzed after a four wheeling accident in August and is undergoing rehabilitation at the center.

 

Tyler Hoog laughs as he cracks a joke during an occupational therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog, a baseball player at Skyline High School, was left paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August.

 

The scar from Tyler Hoog's surgery can be seen on the back of his neck on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog was left paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August. Tyler is now undergoing rehabilitation at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA.

 

Tyler Hoog is strapped into his powered wheelchair by his father Michael, left, and Darci Pernoud after an occupational therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog was left paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August and is undergoing rehabilitation at the center.

 

Tyler Hoog tries to look behind him as Jason Simpson attaches a head brace to his powered wheelchair at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since Sept. 19 after a four wheeling accident in August left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog raises the seat on his powered wheelchair as he shows off the chair's abilities to his friend Jay Ruckelshaus while their parents talk at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August.

 

Tyler Hoog's muscles spasm contorting his body as Kelly White stretches his legs during a therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog was left paralyzed after a four wheeling accident in August and is undergoing rehabilitation at the center.

 

Kelly White, right, helps stretch the muscles in Tyler Hoog's legs during a therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since September 19 after a four wheeling accident in August left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog lays on a mat as Kelly White, an exercise specialist at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA, stretches his arms and legs during a therapy session on Monday, December 12, 2011. The Skyline baseball player became paralyzed after a four wheeling accident in August.

 

Tyler Hoog, center, talks with his father Michael and Mary Ruckleshaus as Kelly White stretches his arm during a therapy session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog has been a patient at the center since Spetember 19 after a four wheeling accident in August left him paralyzed from the neck down.

 

Tyler Hoog lays on a mat as Kelly White, an exercise specialist at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA, stretches his arms and legs during a therapy session on Monday, December 12, 2011. The Skyline High School baseball player became paralyzed after a four wheeling accident in August.

 

Kelly White, right, helps place Tyler Hoog back into his powered wheelchair using a wench and pulley system after a stretching session at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, GA on Monday, December 12, 2011. Hoog became paralyzed from the neck down after a four wheeling accident in August.