Benefit Aids Athlete in Contest to Overcome Spinal Injury

Seventeen-year-old Bobby Rohan dreamed of becoming a professional triathlete, competing in bike racing, cross-country running and his favorite sport--swimming.

His parents and friends said Bobby was on his way to achieving his dream March 23 when he was injured in an accident that left the West Hills youth paralyzed from the chest down. He has limited use of his arms and hands.

On Sunday, Bobby sat strapped to a wheelchair and watched as his teammates from the El Camino Real High School swim team participated in a “swimathon” to help pay for his physical therapy.

“It’s nice to know you have friends that care,” Bobby said. “I never realized everyone would pull together for just one person.”

Since the accident, the youth has been hospitalized at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he has been undergoing treatment for his injuries.

Nearly all 40 members of the boys’ and girls’ swim teams at the high school took part in the swimathon, said Josh Sapkin, captain of the boys’ team and an organizer of the event. The West Valley Jewish Community Center donated use of its pool for the fund-raiser.

Sapkin said the team expected to raise about $4,000 from donations and pledges based on the number of laps completed. “We also want to show that we’re behind him 100%, that we’ll be there when he needs us,” Sapkin said.

Sapkin said Bobby was an outstanding athlete who inspired those around him. “He wanted to make everybody a better athlete.”

Although the accident has left him physically handicapped, Bobby’s determination and competitive spirit are still intact. “I feel confident I will recover,” he said. “I’ve got all the time in the world to let this heal.”

As a way to urge himself on, Bobby has had the hair on the back of his head shaved to shape the words “Dig In.” “It just means dig into your guts, never give up.”

The sprightly youth, however, is uncomfortable talking about the accident.

He was riding his bike down Platt Avenue near Victory Boulevard as part of his regular training exercise. He said he was trying to maneuver his bike around a parked school bus, but swerved at the last minute to avoid a passing car.

“I ran into the bus,” Bobby said, “and my head snapped back.”

Doctors are reluctant to make predictions about his recovery, but Bobby’s parents, Chris and Jim Rohan, remain optimistic. “We know he can do it,” Chris Rohan said. “This is the race of his life.”

One of those teammates, 18-year-old Jessica Folsom, said she goes to the hospital at least four times a week to help Bobby with his physical therapy. “I like to see him, and I think it helps him,” Folsom said. “If two hours out of my day is going to bring him happiness and cheer him up a little, I can do it.”

Bobby said that he faces his physical therapy sessions with the same amount of determination he used during his workouts.

Before the accident, Bobby said, he would get up at 5 a.m. and swim the equivalent of half a mile before heading to the high school, where he is a junior. After school, he would pedal his bike from 20 to 30 miles, then finish the day with a 5-mile run.

“I’ve felt what pain is,” Bobby said. “I’ve always known what it is to keep going.”