JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A 17-year-old Fletcher High School student-athlete critically injured when he was struck by a car while riding his scooter to school in March can now walk and talk again.
Doctors said Alan Conerly's miraculous progress is a testament to his willpower and the unwavering support of his family.
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In March, the Conerlys did not know if Alan would ever stand up again, let alone survive the accident.
Conerly, a well-known junior football and basketball player at Fletcher, suffered head trauma and serious physical injuries from the crash.
"When he first came into the office, he was only able to lightly nod his head," said Dr. Kim Johnston, a chiropractor at Dunn Wellness Center in Jacksonville Beach.
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Alan can now tell you himself how he's doing.
"I'm good," he said Friday.
He recently started talking again and regaining his fine motor skills.
"Sometimes it just gives me chill bumps to see how much progress he's made," said Anita Conerly, Alan's mother.
His progress has been an act of sacrifice and love for the close-nit family. Anita works full-time, and as a single mother, she relies heavily on Alan's two older brothers, particularly Aubrey Conerly, the oldest.
"With Alan's situation, it's been kind of like handling him when he was a kid, a baby again," Aubrey said.
Aubrey plays professional basketball overseas, but he returned to Jacksonville to care for his younger brother around the clock.
"I tell him, 'Just like I pushed you to be a good basketball player, I'm going to push you to be back where you were,'" Aubrey said.
Every day brings new struggles for the family and new things to be thankful for. Through it all, there's one thing they know for sure.
"You look at him and he's so happy, so you have every reason to be happy as well," Aubrey said.
When Alan's insurance ran out, doctors at Dunn Wellness Center took on his case free of charge.
Those doctors said their ultimate goal is to get Alan walking on his own again, and they said that given his progress so far, it's a strong possibility he will.