After Suffering Life-Changing Accident, Guatemala Native Finds Hope at Lynn Rehabilitation Center

By: Krysten Brenlla

After studying business administration in the United States, Juan Diego Granai graduated and returned home to Guatemala to begin the next chapter of his life with his loved ones.

However, on May 18, 2022, a tragic diving accident changed the course of the 23-year-old’s life forever.

“That day, I was in Antigua at a friend’s house. We were in the Jacuzzi, and I decided to jump in the pool before going to bed,” Granai said. “I dove in and hit my chin on the bottom pretty hard. The impact snapped my neck back.”

His friends immediately pulled him out of the water and called paramedics to help. Once the paramedics arrived, they stabilized Granai’s neck and rushed him to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery before being airlifted to Jacksonville for rehabilitation therapy.

Ultimately, Granai was paralyzed from the neck down.

“When I first started rehabilitation therapy, I didn’t have much functionality in my hands or arms. My left arm was basically dead for a while, and my main goal was to get that arm working again,” he said. “I worked mostly on core and bed mobility, as well as relearning how to eat, dress myself, and how to maneuver a wheelchair. It was stressful not knowing if I would ever be able to move again.”

After two months, Granai and his family decided he needed specialized care. While doing some research, they came across Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial.

In July 2022, Granai was transferred to Miami, where he met his new team of occupational and physical therapists.

“When I first started seeing Juan, he was only able to move his right arm,” said Nadina Barreto, an occupational therapist at Lynn Rehabilitation Center. “He was brought in being pushed by his mother in a recliner wheelchair, and was completely dependent on caregivers for everything.”

Barreto and Granai’s initial goals focused on restoring upper body mobility. Aquatic therapy, a key component of his rehabilitation, played a significant role in helping Granai regain function in his arms. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation to his arms and hand muscles also helped with his recovery.

Additionally, he worked with therapists to learn how to use adaptive equipment for feeding and grooming, as well as how to independently operate a wheelchair and manage bowel and bladder care.

After seven months, Granai regained mobility in his arms and met many of his rehabilitation goals, all while continuing his studies.

“Initially, he required total assistance. But, over time throughout our sessions, he learned how to perform everything independently. He’s an exceptional and inspiring human being,” Barreto said.

After more than a year of specialized therapy at Lynn Rehabilitation Center, Granai was ready to go home.

“I published a book, Hasta La Medula, which talks about my life, and how every event before my injury helped me find the strength that I needed to get through this,” he said. “Receiving love from my family and friends was my biggest push – I wanted to get back to a normal life, even if it involved a wheelchair.”

Today, Granai is back in Guatemala, and lives a completely independent life. He’s working on launching a new foundation to help other spinal cord injury survivors throughout their journey.

“All I can say is thank you to the entire team at Lynn Rehabilitation Center,” Granai said. “They’re like family to me. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for them.”