Recovery, Resilience, and a Return Home: Woman Overcomes a Traumatic Brain Injury with Help from Jackson Memorial Perdue Medical Center

On January 2, 2025, DMesha Hodge of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands was celebrating her 25th birthday. The day took a devastating turn when a motorcycle accident left her with life-threatening injuries.

Hodge was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors worked to stabilize her. But soon, they delivered shocking news to her mother, Michelle Powell: there was nothing more they could do.

Within 36 hours, Hodge was airlifted from St. Thomas to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial with a traumatic brain injury, bleeding around the brain, , multiple rib and spinal fractures, and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). She was in a coma and placed on a ventilator to help her breathe.

When she woke up from the coma two weeks later, Hodge was unable to speak. Doctors discovered damage to her vocal cords, which required surgery. She also needed a feeding tube to provide her the right nutrition.

Hodge remained at Jackson Memorial until the end of January before being discharged to Jackson Memorial Perdue Medical Center for intensive, long-term rehabilitation. Like many patients with a traumatic brain injury, she needed help with nearly every aspect of her daily life. She faced significant muscle weakness, impaired cognition, limited endurance, and was unable to walk. At Purdue, her road to recovery was just beginning.

“When I first saw DMesha, she was very lethargic and tired, and required maximum assistance for daily activities, like transitioning from the bed, dressing herself, taking a shower, and eating on her own,” said Nikole Brendecke, an occupational therapist at Perdue. “Throughout our time together, we really focused on helping her be as independent as possible.”

Since Hodge couldn’t speak at the time, her mother spoke on her behalf, sharing her daughter’s wishes: to walk again and one day return home to St. Thomas.

Those wishes became the heart of her recovery plan.

With physical, occupational, and speech therapy, Hodge’s care team focused on helping her rebuild strength, relearn daily tasks, and regain her voice.

“I have so much respect for everyone, including my mom, and everyone who helped me recover,” Hodge said.

As the weeks passed by, her progress began to unfold. A significant milestone came when she could eat again on her own.

“During her time with us at Purdue, she recovered very quickly. We really tried to incorporate things that she loved, like dancing and music, throughout her sessions,” Brendecke said. “She went from needing assistance for everything, to being independent.”

On April 5, Hodge’s wish came true: she was strong enough to be discharged. The following day, she flew home to St. Thomas.

Today, she can walk for a few minutes and use a cane for support. She’s working on rebuilding her upper and lower body strength so she can live more independently.

“I can walk, but not as much. Otherwise, I feel normal,” she said.

Her mom is working with her on exercises at home as she searches for therapists to help her continue to build her strength.

“It’s an adjustment, but she’s doing well,” Powell said.

Now back home surrounded by the support of her loved ones, Hodge is looking forward to the day when she can return to work at a local pharmacy.

“My hope is for her continued healing and overall happiness,” Powell said. “Just to have her comfortable so she can return to living as normal as possible.”