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One year later, Juan Spence looks toward graduation and beyond

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A year ago, Juan Spence was a regular 17-year-old. A junior at Warhill High School, he was also a standout athlete on the track team with dreams of moving on to an Ivy League school. On May 22, 2017, everything changed irrevocably.

On a drizzly and dreary Thursday afternoon, Spence was riding shotgun in senior Ruben Davila’s car minutes after school let out. The vehicle slid on wet pavement, rolling several times as a result. His friend walked away mostly unscathed, saved by his seatbelt. Spence was flung from the vehicle, which landed on top of him and severely injured his skull; he clung to life as doctors gave him a 5 percent chance of survival.

Now, battle scars remain, and yet nobody could have imagined the progress made in 12 months when the outlook at first appeared so bleak. He has typical high school rites of passage to look forward to — his senior prom date on Saturday, graduation a month later.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” said Spence, now 18.

Following the car wreck, Spence spent three days in a coma and more than two months total at VCU Medical Center in Richmond before returning home.

Juan Spence comes home after his initial 67-day stay at VCU Medical Center.
Juan Spence comes home after his initial 67-day stay at VCU Medical Center.

“We did not think that there was any way medically possible that he would ever be out of a vegetative state,” said Yvanka Weaver, a unit secretary at the hospital.

But Spence began uttering words, first to his mom, then to Weaver, when she went to place an armband on him prior to a surgery and earned an, “Ow!”

“After that, he just started making these crazy, miraculous changes,” said Weaver, who began visiting the family regularly as Spence began speaking more and more.

After his experiences at VCU Medical Center, Spence wanted some clothes that showed off the institution. Yvanka Weaver, a unit secretary who became close with the Spence family, gave him some Tuesday.
After his experiences at VCU Medical Center, Spence wanted some clothes that showed off the institution. Yvanka Weaver, a unit secretary who became close with the Spence family, gave him some Tuesday.

Spence underwent five surgeries total. Most recently, a March 28 craniotomy resulted in an epidural hematoma — bleeding between the brain’s outer membrane and the skull — that required another surgery three days later.

Therapy remains an ongoing routine, as he’s continuously improved his ability to speak and move when initially he could do neither.

Return trips to Richmond for follow-up appointments recur once a month or more. Yet Spence’s family finds reasons to rejoice.

“We’re truly grateful that the 22nd is not a day we’re going to be mourning. We’re going to be celebrating the fact that he’s here and how far he’s come,” said Elizabeth Butler, Spence’s mom.

After senior year classes like AP Government and Probability and Statistics, his GPA remains above a 3.5. The school declined to comment, citing student privacy concerns.

Mom Elizabeth Butler snaps Juan Spence posing for back-to-school photos with his younger siblings, Gabby and Caleb.
Mom Elizabeth Butler snaps Juan Spence posing for back-to-school photos with his younger siblings, Gabby and Caleb.

He’s learned to type proficiently with one hand, especially impressive considering he didn’t know how to type properly at all prior to the accident.

Spence will address his peers during Warhill’s graduation ceremony June 16. With his speech, titled “The Power of Desperation,” he hopes to encourage people “to do better, to be better and make the right choices.”

Spence’s college plans shifted; Butler said her son’s SAT scores weren’t as high as they’d hoped, although it was understandable given the circumstances. Ivy League offerings like Yale and options he’d considered closer to home like the College of William and Mary aren’t yet on the table.

But as Spence gears up to graduate on time, he still plans to push forward. In the fall, Spence will attend Thomas Nelson Community College, with plans to transfer to a university in two years. He hopes to pursue his interest in information technology.

“It’s exciting. We’re looking forward to where he’s going to be in two years,” Butler said. “We’re just really proud of all the hard work. He’s a fighter, for sure.”

Spence still has recovery goals in mind he still as some struggles continue. His left eye was sewn half-shut when paralysis on that side prevented him from blinking it, which still proves difficult. But he hopes that as nerves regenerate and function improves, doctors can undo the procedure.

With occupational therapy, he’s working on regaining voluntary motion of his left hand, which still doesn’t always cooperate. As factors continue to improve, he hopes driving a car of his own might soon become a possibility. He also hopes to find a summer job so he can earn some spending money.

Spence hasn’t endured this journey alone. Family traveled from out of state to visit him in the hospital. The community donated more than $14,000 to a GoFundMe page set up the day after the car wreck. Track teammates showed solidarity with hats that read #JuanLove. Classmates showed support by voting him homecoming king in the fall. Physical therapists helped him slowly regain control of his body and brain surgeons worked their medical magic inside his head.

Juan celebrates his initial return home with his uncle Kelly Spence (left), stepfather Alex Butler (back) and mother Elizabeth Butler (right).
Juan celebrates his initial return home with his uncle Kelly Spence (left), stepfather Alex Butler (back) and mother Elizabeth Butler (right).

Sandy Layman, Spence’s neighbor and a longtime family friend, said that Spence’s experiences over the past year taught him — and others, by extension — the value of embracing the moment at hand, choosing wisely how and with whom time is spent.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him continue to heal. Even if this is it, he’s already in a place where he’s just accepting the moment,” she said. “He’s so thoughtful and appreciative.”

She said together they strive for normalcy, even if it’s a new normal. Although Spence can’t play basketball like he once did with her son, Cole, he can still trash talk about sports with her husband, Doug. Spence is taking Layman’s daughter, Logan, as his date to prom Saturday.

Each playful remark or laugh shared speaks to the healing embrace one can find through family and friendship.

“He’s a miracle. The situation is a miracle and his family is a miracle,” Layman said. “With that kind of love, anything’s possible. They’re a beautiful example of what the love of a family and faith can do.”

As Spence faces the end of high school, as with most 18-year-olds, the future holds plenty of uncertainty — but with it, plenty of hope. His struggle serves as a source of strength for him, his perseverance a source of inspiration for the rest of us.

“I just don’t want people to give up when they get in a hard time or a hard place,” Spence said. “I just want them to persevere through it.”