Shawnee Mission West junior Abby Buell, a dedicated trumpet player, is back on the field this school year—though she now participates in the marching band from a motorized wheelchair. The change follows a life‑altering injury she sustained in early June while practicing dives at Young’s Pool in Overland Park.
Accident and medical treatment
During a series of starting dives, the final plunge went wrong. Buell was pulled from the water, wrapped in a thin blanket, and rushed with her grandmother to Children’s Mercy Hospital in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. After 58 days of hospitalization, doctors diagnosed an incomplete spinal injury. Her C‑6 vertebra, located at the base of the neck, was severely damaged and had to be surgically removed and replaced with a metal implant. Additional fractures were found higher in her spinal column.
Following surgery, Buell spent time in the pediatric intensive care unit before moving to a regular room and later to the hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation program. There she engaged in daily physical and occupational therapy, working to regain strength and mobility. While she has feeling in her legs, she cannot move them and now relies on a motorized wheelchair for mobility.
Family adjustments and home modifications
During Abby’s rehab, her parents transformed their northern Overland Park home to accommodate her new needs. They purchased an accessible van and installed a concrete ramp—affectionately nicknamed “Sir Rampington.” Interior modifications include removing paint and baseboards that impede wheelchair movement, and plans are underway for a larger bathroom to replace the current one that is too small for her wheelchair. The family is also addressing the challenges posed by doors and other tight spaces.
These upgrades have been costly. A family friend launched a GoFundMe campaign that, as of Thursday evening, had raised about $47,000 toward a $75,000 goal to offset the expenses.
School accommodations and band involvement
Last month Abby returned to Shawnee Mission West with her classmates. She noted that the newer elevator in the school’s recent addition works far better than the original, which she described as “the jankiest piece of crap.” Because of her therapy schedule—Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.—she is taking an online class to keep up with coursework she misses.
Although she cannot yet play her trumpet due to lingering finger mobility challenges, Abby has become an honorary member of the percussion section, playing the shaker and wind chimes in jazz band. She hopes a custom‑made instrument will allow her to resume trumpet playing by the winter concert season.
Progress and outlook
Abby’s mother, Mary Buell, reports daily improvements in her daughter’s strength and overall condition. The family remains optimistic that continued therapy and the supportive school environment will enable Abby to fully rejoin the marching band and eventually return to swimming and golf, activities she loved before the injury.
Abby’s story highlights the resilience of a young athlete and the importance of community support, accessible infrastructure, and dedicated medical care in helping her navigate a new normal.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
