Triumph over tragedy

How a grandmother’s love and a committed medical community transformed a traumatic brain injury

On a damp spring day in April 2016, the streetlights painted a kaleidoscope across the wet pavement. Daniel Beltz, a bright teenager with dreams to match, was navigating the familiar street after his grandmother, Charlene Stewart, had dropped him and his girlfriend off at a local movie theater in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

As fate would have it, a car, its driver momentarily distracted, approached Highway 75, not seeing the pair crossing the street. The collision between the driver and Beltz was sudden and violent, throwing Beltz 15 feet into the air. The impact was so great, investigators would later discover one of his shoes 50 feet away.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, their urgency mirrored by the gathering crowd, as the realization of the gravity of the situation unfolded. Stewart, driving the opposite direction, said a prayer as she always did when she saw flashing lights.

Police treated the scene as a fatality as no one expected Beltz to survive. Due to the weather, he could not be flown and was driven with haste to St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa. Beltz would be brought back to life many times that night, but the quality of life he returned to would be far different.

Beyond surviving the numerous impact injuries, Beltz would also be diagnosed with a lifelong traumatic brain injury, affecting all his physical, cognitive and emotional functions.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, the road to recovery proved to be a complex journey. Yet, amid the wreckage of dreams and the debris of a life once known, seeds of resilience took root in the form of Stewart.

Saying “no” to the word “no”

Beltz’ grandmother never left his side the entire first year he spent in the hospital and rehabilitation facilities following the accident. Stewart, a Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative member, lived more than two hours away. She placed a mattress in the back of her van to sleep in the hospital parking lot. She spent all her time close to him to monitor his needs and treatment.

“When Charlene heard the word ‘no’ repeatedly, she didn’t accept it,” Gail Montesore, Beltz’ aunt, says. “She is why Daniel is who he is today. He has many heroes, but my sister Charlene is his number one.”

Beltz was unable to walk, talk, eat, move or swallow. He needed 24/7 care for the first two and a half years. When he was able to return to Stewart’s home, funds for care quickly dissipated. Because Beltz was young when the accident happened, he had not worked enough to qualify for disability.

A physical therapist at Beltz’ hospital contacted Rebecca Renfro, another physical therapist, to see if she would take on Beltz’ case pro bono. Renfro connected with Stewart and on the first home visit, she could see the potential in Beltz.

“I saw a spark in his eyes, especially when he was with his grandmother,” Renfro says.

She gathered a team of physical therapists, Lacey Bellar and Leslie Daniel to name a few, and they went to work continuing his treatment. She noted how remarkable Stewart was in following instructions and continuing Beltz’s care.

“She is why Beltz really progressed,” Renfro says. “We were the tools, but the gift we gave Stewart was the knowledge he was worthy of help.”

“All individuals are worthy,” Renfro says. “Whether it’s stroke, natural, physical or birth trauma, they are all valuable. Daniel is a very good example of why it’s important to use resources to help families with recovery, rehabilitation and opportunities.”

They worked on standing and pivoting, eventually moving into the swimming pool. In January 2019, Beltz took his first step.

Another monumental accomplishment was gaining the ability to swallow and to speak. Dr. Joseph Massad, DDS, a Tulsa-based but internationally renowned clinician in the field of prosthodontics, created Beltz a custom palatal lift. This prosthesis helps air from escaping out the nose during speech, allowing Beltz to begin to talk and to avoid aspirating while drinking or eating.

A few years after the accident, Stewart took Beltz to church. She noticed a man staring at Beltz in his wheelchair. After some time, he approached and asked if Beltz had been in a car accident. When he realized who Beltz was, the man bent down on his knees and started crying. He was one of the paramedics who treated Beltz on the scene.

He was in awe of the progress Beltz had made. Truly, Stewart had taken Beltz from death to life.

Don’t forget to F.R.O.G.

More than eight years after the accident, Beltz is a walking and talking miracle. He has a phenomenal personality and love for life. His smile and laugh can brighten any day. His family has turned his story into a book that he can use to tell others in his own words.

His love for animals has led to a job working with 4 the Animals Veterinary Clinic under the direction of Dr. Sarah Gordon. Beltz does many chores like laundry, vacuuming and recycling, and he even holds dogs while they get groomed and prepares rooms for surgeries.

He used some of his savings to purchase a therapy dog, Daisy Lee, who is his greatest pride and joy.

Beltz always enjoyed the outdoors, especially with his mother. Beltz’ mother passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, but she left him and Stewart with a special appreciation for an often-forgotten animal – the frog.

Beltz has a beautiful collection of all kinds of frogs, from ornaments to figurines to pieces of art. Early into his healing journey, the family found solace in the mantra “fully rely on God” or “F.R.O.G.” for short. The family turned the phrase into bracelets Beltz gives away as a source of inspiration and a reminder to hope, even when some may say the situation is hopeless.

When asked what Stewart would say to the driver who hit Beltz, she says, “I’m sorry you didn’t see Daniel before you hit him that day, but I’m thankful God was and still is in control and watching over all of us.”

Beltz will always need a caretaker. His needs will continue to be many and the costs will be great. The family is in awe of the army of doctors, nurses and many therapists who helped Beltz become the man he is today after eight and a half years of tireless efforts. However, to anyone who crosses paths with this happy young man, they will see the future of a promising young life, one that leaves behind a path of resilience, rehabilitation and the unwavering hope for a brighter tomorrow.