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Article Category: PeopleCare

StephenCare

From the front yard to a Level I Trauma Center in record time: A father-daughter rescue story

Published on April 28, 2025

Last updated 11:42 AM June 13, 2025

Stephen, a Wellstar Kennestone Level I Trauma Center patient, pictured with his daughter, Hannah.

Stephen Nowlin became unexpectedly paralyzed one day when preparing for a Fourth of July celebration with friends. A flight EMS team was called to transport him when the flight nurse on call, Hannah Carr, recognized the address of the accident—her childhood home. She flew her father to Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, where he could have the fastest, most comprehensive trauma response—and a chance at full recovery.

When routine yard work went wrong

Preparing for his annual Fourth of July party, Stephen mowed his 13-acre property in Waco, Georgia. The routine chore took a terrifying turn when his mower flipped. Trapped underneath, he realized he was paralyzed. His friend soon discovered him lying there and called 911. 

Meanwhile, Stephen’s daughter, Hannah, was working that day as a flight nurse for a local air ambulance company. When the call came in about a 60-year-old man in a tractor accident, paralyzed, at her parents' address, she instantly knew who it was. Hannah and her air ambulance service partner were on their way. 

In good hands: first responders act fast

The local fire department and EMS arrived quickly, carefully removing the mower without moving Stephen. They transported him to a nearby landing zone where Hannah and her flight partner waited. As Stephen was loaded onto the helicopter, he told his daughter, “I just hope they can fix me.”

Hannah and her partner did a thorough, head-to-toe assessment for life-threatening injuries.

“I knew I was in good hands,” Stephen said. “She's going to take care of me better than anybody else would.”

On the flight to Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, Hannah communicated with the hospital ahead of arrival. In emergency situations, it’s important the team is assembled and ready to perform care as fast as possible. Because of their collaboration, not a minute was wasted.

I'm not supposed to be walking, but I am. I recommend Wellstar Kennestone to everybody I talk to. I'd be your billboard guy. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Wellstar.

- Stephen Nowlin

Wellstar patient

A well-oiled trauma care machine

At Wellstar Kennestone, the trauma team was ready and waiting when the helicopter landed. “Everything was just so fast,” Stephen recalled. 

Dr. Mark Esshaki, a surgical critical care specialist on the trauma team, explained, “Typically some of our ER staff meet up there so we can have a quick transition. The quicker we can get things done, the better it is for the patients.”

He assessed Stephen to make sure he had no other life-threatening injuries. Then, from Stephen’s full body CT scan, he verified he had a cervical fracture.

“Most people who come in with this type of injury and symptoms and lack of movement ability, they don't usually end up walking again,” Dr. Esshaki said. 

He quickly coordinated with the neurosurgery team and rushed Stephen into surgery. 

“When you have a Level I Trauma Center like Wellstar Kennestone, you have 24/7 in-house trauma coverage to evaluate and get the necessary teams, like neurosurgery, involved on short notice,” Dr. Esshaki said. “Trauma is really a team effort. Everybody has to do their part to make sure things go smoothly, and Wellstar Kennestone does a really good job at that.”

The most severe spinal injury

“Mr. Nowlin had the most severe type of spinal injury—a complete spinal cord injury between C4 and C5—the middle portion of the cervical spinal cord,” said Dr. Phillip Parry, medical director for Spine Surgery at Wellstar. “Mr. Nowlin's capabilities of being able to use his arms and legs were non-existent.”

Additionally, Stephen’s CT scan revealed more bad news. His injury had launched a process in the body called ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments (OPLL). That’s when soft tissues in the neck that allow the head to turn become rigid bone. 

“This added complexity to his already devastating injury,” Dr. Parry explained.

Statistically, Stephen was not likely to make a full recovery. His family was told that the priority was ensuring Stephen could breathe on his own.

Meanwhile, news of Stephen’s ordeal had spread. His wife, Robbin, and Hannah were among 30 friends and family members in the waiting room. 

A self-proclaimed realist, Hannah began mentally preparing and planning for the possibility that her dad may never walk, or even move, again. 
 

Surgeons and nurses prepare the way for healing

Stephen’s surgery team worked fast to realign his spine and remove the bony elements to allow room for swelling. Then using titanium rods and screws, Dr. Parry stabilized the fracture to allow for healing. 

“I was optimistic that he would be able to come off the ventilator and regain some use of his thumbs or index finger,” Dr. Parry said. “But beyond that, it would be miraculous for him to make a complete recovery.”

A few hours later, Stephen wiggled his toe, giving Hannah, Stephen and Robbin a first glimpse of hope.

Stephen spent 10 days in the neuro intensive care unit and he remembers the kindness of his team, including a nursing technician named Denise, who was a "ray of sunshine every day.” He said she went above and beyond to make sure he was cared for.

“Ashley, my nurse, she was there the day they pulled that dang ventilator out. So I told her, ‘You're my favorite,’” he laughed.

A miraculous recovery & gratitude

In the first of this grouping of photos, Stephen, a Wellstar Kennestone Level I Trauma Center patient, is pictured with his daughter, Hannah, sitting on rocking chairs on his front porch.  In the second photo, he stands smiling with his wife, Robbin, and his daughter Hannah, in front of their house.
A few days after surgery, Stephen got another dose of hope from Dr. William Benedict, a neurosurgeon on his care team. "He told me I would be walking in a year with a cane," Stephen said.

Dr. Benedict helped Stephen get accepted into an aggressive spinal cord injury rehabilitation program, and Stephen was walking in three months.

“I'm not supposed to be walking, but I am,” he said, as he navigated his back yard, preparing for his next gathering with friends. “I recommend Wellstar Kennestone to everybody I talk to. I'd be your billboard guy. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Wellstar."

He also cherishes the support of his community and first responders, including Hannah and her team, who rallied around him during his recovery.

In terms of what’s next, Stephen has a new perspective on life. ‘Don't put things off,’ he said. “Nobody's guaranteed tomorrow.”

Soon after he returned home from the hospital, he started a construction company with a friend—and started planning a trip to Hawaii with Robbin.

“I think Mr. Nowlin being able to use his arms and legs is a real testament to the emergency medical system and the Level I Trauma Center surgery services offered here at Wellstar Kennestone,” Dr. Parry observed. “I'm oftentimes meeting perfect strangers on the worst day of their life. You don't get to choose who your surgeon is, but you can rest assured that the surgical services for traumatic spine injuries here at Wellstar Kennestone are world-class.”

Wellstar: where first responders take family

As for Hannah, she’s thankful she can offer patients a new kind of comfort on her flights.

“I say, ‘I even flew my own dad to Wellstar Kennestone. The level of care couldn’t have been better. That is where I think you should go.’”

Learn more about the high level of Trauma Care and Neuro Care at Wellstar. 

Tags

Mark Daniel Esshaki William John Benedict Jr Phillip Vaughan Parry Sr
Kennestone Regional Medical Center Neurosurgery - 61 Whitcher Street NE PeopleCare Neuro Care Emergency Care
Related Articles
Back to school after receiving highly coordinated stroke care at Wellstar, Assistant Principal De'sa Fuller, enters her office to start a new school year.

PeopleCare

De'saCare

De'sa Fuller, an assistant principal in West Georgia, greeted teachers in the hallway like every other morning. But her day turned upside down when she lost her balance and couldn’t rise from the floor. Thanks to the immediate actions of those around her—from the teacher who called 911 to emergency medical services and her Wellstar team—De’sa recovered and is back to school. Her story is a powerful testament to how recognizing symptoms of a stroke, calling for help right away and having highly coordinated care can lead to remarkable outcomes.

Getting help when things go wrong

At 34, De'sa Fuller was living a vibrant life. She was a 6th grade assistant principal at Gardner Middle School in LaGrange. She loved her job, enjoyed traveling and was saving up to buy her first home. April 15 started out like any other day. Smoothie in hand, she greeted teachers in the hallway as she made her way to her office.

“I felt a little off,” De'sa recalled. “I just thought I was going too fast—I didn’t put much thought into it.” Then she fell. A concerned teacher asked if she was okay. De'sa, thinking she had simply tripped, said “Yes.” Her vision blurred as she tried to get up and she fell again. “I said, ‘I am not okay.’”

What began as a typical morning turned into a race against time. One teacher's quick thinking to call 911 activated a rapid chain of events that would save De’sa from permanent disability.

The critical first minutes

“The ambulance got there quickly. It was like they were around the corner,” De'sa remembered. 

“We got a call that EMS was bringing in a female who had been found on the floor at work, experiencing right-sided weakness,” explained Ginger Truitt, stroke coordinator at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, a Primary Stroke Center. The EMS professionals also reported confusion, headache and vomiting. “Those symptoms suggest stroke. We activated quickly.”

As a result, Dr. Reginald “Ashley” Orr, an emergency medicine physician, was ready for her arrival. 

“I was worried about an acute stroke by their description of her symptoms,” he remembered. “I evaluated her on the stretcher when she came through the door.”

A Code FAST was called with the goal of speeding up the time to start treatment to improve De’sa’s chances for better outcomes. They skipped the emergency department and took her for a CT scan. Then she was seen by the onsite neurologist, and the team quickly administered tenectoplase—or TNK—a clot-busting drug.

“Her symptoms were markedly improved,” Dr. Orr noted. “She was more awake.”

However, the CT angiogram showed an MCA M1 occlusion—a blockage in a major blood vessel in the brain. While she had shown some improvement, it wasn’t enough. De'sa needed a thrombectomy, a procedure to remove the clot and restore vital blood flow to the brain.

 

A seamless transfer

De’sa needed an immediate transfer to a thrombectomy center, and there are only a few in the state of Georgia. After a quick virtual consult with Dr. Ovais Inamullah, a telestroke neurologist at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center—a Comprehensive Stroke Center—she was accepted for transfer. The Marietta-based Neuro Care program performs one of the highest volumes of thrombectomy and aneurysm treatments in the country.

Because time is of the essence with successful stroke treatment, transport by air is preferred. However, weather conditions threatened the flight’s safety. The ground EMS crew dutifully stood by in case they needed to drive De’sa. 

Mercifully, the clouds lifted after a few tense moments and she began her trip to Wellstar Kennestone via helicopter.

“When we have this type of emergency, our goal is to get patients out the door for a thrombectomy in 90 minutes,” Ginger said. “In De’sa’s case, we did it in 102 minutes, which was still impressive because there was cloud cover and we weren’t sure at first if she would be able to fly.”

Upon arrival, De'sa was taken directly to the angio suite where Dr. Ahmad Khaldi, a Wellstar neurosurgeon, and his team were waiting. “Every minute counts,” he emphasized.

A thrombectomy is a procedure that treats a stroke without open brain surgery. A tiny catheter is threaded through a blood vessel in the arm or leg to the brain to remove a clot, restoring blood flow to help prevent permanent disability or even death.

“We finished surgery by 11:25 AM,” Dr. Khaldi said—just 20 minutes after the procedure began.

Keep reading
A healthcare provider works with the Da Vinci 5 robot

Highlights

New Robotic Surgery System at Wellstar Kennestone Brings Next-Level Care to the Community

Touch-sensitive technology. More precision. Better surgical images. A new robotic surgery platform at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center features all this and more. What does that mean for people in our community facing a complex surgery? Everything.

The Da Vinci 5 (DV5) platform allows experienced surgeons at Wellstar Kennestone to be even more precise during delicate procedures. Patients bleed less, heal with smaller scars and usually go home sooner.

“At Wellstar Kennestone, we’re redefining what’s possible in surgical care,” said Lorrie Liang, senior vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Windy Hill. “The DV5 demonstrates that we’re not just adopting advanced technology—we are advancing the standard of care across the region.”

What is robotic surgery?

Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery. The surgeon sits at a console and controls robotic arms equipped with tiny instruments. A 3D camera magnifies the surgical area. This allows the surgeon to see everything in high definition.

Wellstar Kennestone is one of the first hospitals in Georgia to offer the DV5. However, robotic surgery is not new at the hospital. Our surgeons began using Da Vinci Surgical System platforms in 2007. Today, we offer 17 state-of-the-art Da Vinci robotic surgical suites at several hospitals and two outpatient surgery centers. We use the system for many surgeries, including bariatric (weight loss), cancer and urology procedures.

A clear difference

Dr. Fritz Jean-Pierre has performed more than 2,500 bariatric surgeries in his career. And he’s excited about what the DV5 offers.

“The DV5 allows the surgeon to sense how much push-or-pull force they apply to delicate structures in the body,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre. “Essentially, the technology stops surgeons from putting too much strain on tissues as they maneuver the instruments. Less strain means less trauma and potential injury, leading to faster patient recovery.”

Dr. Jean-Pierre tailors surgery to each patient’s unique needs. The bariatric surgery he performs most often is the gastric sleeve. It involves removing a large portion of the stomach to limit food intake. Precision is essential, especially for patients who weigh more or have complex health conditions.

“After removing part of the stomach, the surgeon reconstructs the gastrointestinal tract. We use many sutures (stitches) to hold everything in place,” he said. “DV5 provides superior dexterity and control, leading to shorter, safer surgeries.”

Intuitive Surgical, the company that created the Da Vinci platform, designated Wellstar Kennestone as an “epicenter” for training in 2011. Surgeons from around the country come to Wellstar Kennestone to observe and learn robotic surgical techniques from Dr. Jean-Pierre and his colleagues.

The impact on outcomes

The DV5 allows surgeons to be more precise than ever, which affects patient outcomes. Dr. Scott Miller, a Wellstar urologist explained.

“The DV5 is ideal for many urologic procedures, such as prostate and kidney removal, bladder surgery and urinary tract reconstruction,” he said. “The improved range-of-motion and visualization features help us protect healthy tissues and nerves. As a result, we can lower the risk of serious side effects like infections and problems with bladder control and sexual function.”

Learn more about robotic surgery at Wellstar.

Keep reading
Robert, a new grandfather, poses proudly with his daughter and her infant son. With Wellstar helping him manage his HCM, he can keep making memories with his growing family.

PeopleCare

RobertCare

Robert Frederick was living a typical life, going to work and spending time with his mother, siblings and children. But then it became hard to breathe when walking short distances or climbing stairs. He got dizzy. Perhaps most disturbingly, he passed out several times—once at a Braves baseball game he attended with his siblings.

"I didn't know what was going on!" Robert recalled.

Difficulty controlling AFib with medication

After passing out the first time, he went to urgent care and was then taken to the hospital by ambulance. He learned his symptoms were caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heartbeat.

Robert began to see Dr. David Caras, a Wellstar general cardiologist, and learned AFib is related to high blood pressure. Successfully managing high blood pressure often helps people keep AFib under control. Despite their efforts, AFib sent Robert to the emergency room two more times.

Suspicion of HCM

Dr. Caras reviewed Robert’s hospital records and found he had increased wall thickness of the left ventricle and a gradient—a pressure difference between the left ventricle and the aorta when the heart pumps. These findings were consistent with a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Characterized by abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, this disease makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively.

Dr. Caras referred Robert to Dr. Melissa Burroughs, an HCM specialist at Wellstar. As a Center of Excellence designated by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Wellstar is one of the leading providers of comprehensive HCM care in Metro Atlanta.

"We have physicians in the group—designated HCM specialists—that are the point person of the patient’s care," Dr. Burroughs explained. “This includes close communication and collaboration with electrophysiologists, surgeons, advanced heart failure specialists, social workers and behavioral health professionals.”

A rare finding leads to Mayo Clinic Care Network collaboration

Robert said, “Dr. Burroughs wanted to do genetic testing to verify that I had HCM."

But genetic testing revealed a rare genetic variant—one not known to be associated with HCM. Dr. Burroughs called it a “diagnostic conundrum.” The genetic variant found was typically associated with a different cardiac disease that Robert did not have. However, he did have clear signs of HCM.

To investigate further, Dr. Burroughs collaborated with other HCM experts through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, of which Wellstar is a member. Mayo Clinic, which is also an HCM Center of Excellence, provided access to its unpublished database, finding Robert’s rare mutation was present in two other family groups with HCM.

“It’s very important that we add to the science—that we include our patients in the registry to enhance what is already known about HCM,” Dr. Burroughs said.

Robert added, “Dr. Burroughs is very persistent. She wanted to know, ‘Why are you having these problems? What’s the root cause?’ She went above and beyond to find that out.”

Keep reading
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