David cannot be more pleased with his experience at Mary Free Bed. He’s thankful for his recovery and the ability to play in his band during recreational therapy.

Research shows that recreational therapy restores a sense of purpose and enjoyment to a patient. David Robrahn is no exception.

On September 11, 2012, David clipped the back of a moving car with his motorcycle. After arriving at the hospital, doctors realized he sustained several serious injuries including, a broken right hand, a broken knee, a shattered leg, and a brain hemorrhage.

David doesn’t remember the first month after his accident, but his wife knew there was only one choice for therapy. She requested him to be taken to the Brain Injury Program at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.

As David fully regained consciousness, he was ready to get moving.

“After a couple days of getting in and out of the wheelchair with the harness, I was worried about moving on to the parallel bars because I had no upper body strength,” David recalls. “But the therapists are so motivating.”

Two days later, David progressed to only using a walker. He used the walker for the rest of his inpatient stay.

While occupational, physical, and speech therapists were encouraging David to push himself further, something in recreational therapy really touched his heart.

“When they first asked me what I liked to do, I wasn’t sure what to say,” David said. “Even before the accident, I wasn’t really much of a physical guy, I just like to read and play in my community band.”

When David’s recreational therapist, Brianne Taylor, told him that he could participate in the Allendale Community Jazz Band as the main portion of his recreational therapy, David admits he just started …