CRAIG INSIDER
Supporting a Safe Haven
In March 2023, 27-year-old Paul Zancanelli sustained a severe brain injury in a car accident near his home in Denver. After undergoing surgery, he remained unresponsive for two months — until transferring to Craig Hospital.
“I remember visiting Paul after he was admitted to Craig,” recalls Sandy Weigand, Paul’s great aunt. “It was like entering a safe haven. His care team laid out a very detailed plan that included intense physical, neuropsych, speech, occupational and recreational therapy. And while he had to relearn everything, thankfully, he began to improve each day.”
She adds, “His family and friends were so impressed with the care he received and with Paul’s amazing progress. At Craig, hope was instilled and boundaries were broken.”
Remarkable Progress
Before long, Paul was participating in numerous therapeutic recreation activities, including a pontoon
boat ride on the Cherry Creek Reservoir and a museum visit.
“We never expected Paul to be able to travel on a plane, but thanks to the efforts of his amazing team of therapists and doctors, he flew from Colorado to Florida, where he rode in a boat, floated on a raft, and spent time with other Craig patients in the same situation. Throughout the entire experience, he was actually smiling again!”
Sandy adds, “There is no question that Craig got him to where he is today. For Paul, Craig was a true community and it became his second home, where he built a strong bond with his therapists. Watching him thrive at Craig inspired my husband, Jerry, and me to give back through the Frank Craig Society. It’s a way to say ‘thank you’ to Craig for everything they have done for Paul—and for countless others.”
Building a Brighter Future
The Frank Craig Society recognizes and honors
supporters who provide for Craig through a planned gift.
“Becoming a member of the Frank Craig Society means including Craig Hospital in a will or estate plan. And this, in turn, creates a brighter future for Craig patients, which extends beyond one’s lifetime,” explains Annette Mainland, Director of Legacy and Principal Gifts at the Craig Hospital Foundation. “Committing to a future gift is a meaningful way to cement one’s legacy and provide essential, long-term support for Craig’s patients and their families. It means becoming part of a unique and special group within our community of supporters.”
It was back in 1907 when Frank Craig founded a tent colony to care for patients suffering from tuberculosis. Originally named the Colony of Brotherly Love, the community supported individuals in a safe environment, offering life-saving medical care, outdoor living, and a holistic approach to those seeking improved health.
Fast forward more than 115 years, and Craig Hospital is still building on this strong foundation of care—as we continue to develop the best outcomes for our patients through innovative, translational research, and plans for expansion to accommodate more patients seeking our care.
Today, Craig Hospital serves our patients and families with the utmost regard for their mental, physical, and spiritual wellness in mind. We promote optimal health and quality of life for people living with spinal cord and acquired or traumatic brain injury. We want each step in our care continuum to contribute to a successful return to independence for our patients and their families.
Members of the Frank Craig Society share in a rich legacy of compassion for others. With this valuable support, we will rise to meet those patients and their families — and provide our innovative approach to holistic care.
“As we watched Paul recover, we were extremely inspired and moved by the Craig community,” Sandy says. “Becoming a donor and making Craig a legacy beneficiary in our estate has been a very rewarding experience for my family.”
For more information on the Frank Craig Society, please visit: https://craighospital.org/foundation/giftplanning.
Exploring the Benefits of Horticultural Therapy
“Because engagement with nature and plants is intrinsically healing, research suggests that horticultural therapy provides numerous benefits to many patient populations,” explains Mattie Cryer, Craig’s Horticultural Therapist. “In fact, horticultural therapy’s positive effect on stress levels and mental health is well documented among a variety of populations.”
However, there is limited data on horticultural therapy as an intervention with patients in rehabilitation following a brain injury (BI) or spinal cord injury (SCI). And while this type of therapy has deep roots across cultures, only a small body of research exists— specifically within rehabilitation facilities.
“As a result, we decided to embark on a study to understand patient satisfaction with horticultural therapy,” Mattie says. “We also plan to examine the impact of horticultural therapy on well-being and stress levels, and its feasibility as a standardized intervention for rehabilitation patients with SCI and/ or BI.”
She adds, “Craig Hospital is a leader in the field of horticultural therapy and serves as a model for other horticultural therapy programs around the world. Therefore, our setting is ideal for studying the impact of horticultural therapy in the SCI and BI populations.”
The donor-supported, Research Task Force study, “Horticultural Therapy and Patient-Reported Benefits: A Pilot Study,” focuses on a minimum of 30 Craig inpatients, outpatients, and alumni who attend at least one horticultural therapy session between January 2025 and January 2026.
“We are collecting survey data before and after each horticultural therapy session,” Mattie says. “Participants complete surveys that include openended questions about why they choose to attend horticultural therapy sessions.”
She adds, “This study will provide foundational information for future horticultural therapy studies and is a starting point for understanding patient experience. Not only will we use the results to inform future research studies at Craig, but the data will support the horticultural therapy program at Craig.”
For more information on Craig’s research studies, visit: https://craighospital.org/research.
Ethan Glynn Returns to Craig to Give Back
After sustaining a spinal cord injury in a 2022 high school football game, Ethan Glynn and his family became determined to give back to the community and thank everyone who supported Ethan during his recovery.
So they founded the Just Be Gr8 Foundation, with a mission to provide a lifeline to individuals facing challenges and to foster a community where everyone feels valued and supported. The Glynn’s organization is driven by a shared belief in the power of community to overcome challenges and create a better and independent future for all.
And in June, Ethan and his family returned to Craig Hospital, where he completed his rehab, to say thank you with a generous $10,000 check to the Foundation.
“So many community members helped me and
my family when I was injured,” Ethan explained. “I started the Just Be Gr8 Foundation to do the same for others.”
Adds Serena Bruzgo, Craig Foundation President, “We greatly appreciate the generosity and compassion of Ethan and his family. It gives us so much pride when Craig alumni get involved in our mission and it amazes me how many creative ways there are to do so. Craig grads and their families fundraise — just like Ethan — by participating in our events, hosting parties in their communities, sharing their stories, and even honoring a person at Craig who was important to them with a donation. A big thank-you to the Glynn family for bringing hope to Craig patients as they face life-changing spinal cord and brain injuries. This donation will help us deliver the highest level of care to our patients, so they can achieve the best possible outcomes.”
A Very Long Road to Recovery
Nic Gilardi still remembers when Haylee Winden, a clinical research physical therapist at Craig, talked to him about participating in a research study for patients with a brain injury.
“The study evaluated several therapeutic approaches to improve mobility and balance after a TBI,” Nic recalls. “At that time, I was in a very bad place. Not only was I working hard to recover from my TBI and numerous physical injuries, but I was dealing with a lot of fear, frustration, and anger about my motorcycle accident.”
He adds, “I agreed to take part in the study because I hoped it would give me something to focus on. It ended up being the best thing I did at Craig.”
One Fateful Night
Just before 11 p.m. on July 22, 2023, Nic, who was 23 years old at the time, was driving home on his motorcycle when an SUV crashed into him. He was thrown 130 feet and landed on his head.
Seven weeks later, Nic woke up from a coma in a Springfield, Missouri, hospital with a brain injury, as well as a broken clavicle and radius.
“I died once at the scene of the accident and three more times in the hospital,” he says. “My leg was also severely damaged in the accident. In fact, my doctors planned to amputate my leg, but my dad pleaded with them to wait. He knew I was already dealing with more than I could handle at that time.”
After spending several months in a Missouri hospital, Nic transferred to Craig. “The first time I remember being aware of my surroundings was in the airplane on my way to Craig,” Nic recalls.
While at Craig, Nic relearned how to walk, talk, eat, and drink again. “Learning how to do everything again was so hard for me. I had PTSD from the accident and needed to push myself every day to put in the work needed to recover.”
Feeling Free
Looking back on his participation in the High Intensity Step Training After Traumatic Brain Injury (B-HIST) study makes Nic smile.
“Being involved made me really happy because the study forced me to move my body, cleared my head, increased my lung function, and improved my breathing,” he explains. “After the accident, my life completely changed overnight, and I felt trapped. But the research study was so freeing. I was able to walk and eventually run again — and I felt much stronger and happier.”
He adds, “There’s no question that being at Craig was the most difficult time in my life. It was extremely scary, but the experience has made me a better person. I am so much stronger than I was before the accident, and I owe a lot to Craig.”
Thank you for joining us for our inaugural Impact Celebration: Adaptive Athletics Wheelchair Tennis event!
We had such a great time at the Robb’s home, watching a friendly tennis competition between Jason Keatseangsilp and Grayson Fox.
We are so grateful to everyone who made this night a special success!
Special thanks to our hosts, Patricia and John Robb
Craig
Hospital’s Jesse Villines Wins the ASIA
Data Science Challenge
Congratulations to Jesse Villines, a data scientist in Craig’s Quality Department, who won the ASIA Data Science Challenge, hosted by the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA).
The competition called on participants to develop AI models predicting neurological recovery six to 12 months after spinal cord injury, using data from the Sygen SCI study, where Craig was a major contributor.
Craig’s model stood out among global entries, earning recognition for innovation, technical skill, and real-world application in SCI care.
Next steps include refining the model with clinical input to enhance performance and integrate it into patient care at Craig.
This achievement reflects Craig’s commitment to data-driven care, supported by our Quality team, research, and clinical leadership. Special thanks to Dr. Andrew Park, Kyle Mickalowski, and Dr. Candy Tefertiller for their support.
We’re proud to see Craig staff leading the way in SCI research!
Would You Like an Inside Look at Craig Hospital? Come See Us!
Join us for a tour of our state-of-theart facilities and experience our unique cheerful and positive campus atmosphere firsthand.
Choose from one of the upcoming tour dates below and contact Jan Kelley at jkelley@craighospital.org or 303-789-8817 to confirm details.
Thursday, Sept 11 | 4 pm
Tuesday, Sept 16 | 10 am
Saturday, Sept 27 | 10 am
Tuesday, Oct 7 | 4 pm
Saturday, Oct 18 | 10 am
Thursday, Oct 30 | 10 am
Saturday, Nov 8 | 10 am
Thursday, Nov 13 | 4 pm
Tuesday, Nov 25 | 10 am
Saturday, Dec 6 | 10 am
Thursday, Dec 11 | 4 pm
Tuesday, Dec 16 | 10 am
