As a former research and development engineer, Jeffrey Callahan has traveled across the world and met with folks from all walks of life, so he knows a genuine, caring hand when he sees one. He felt nothing but warmth and encouragement when the staff at Morristown Manor welcomed him with arms wide open.
From the beginning of rehabilitation therapy at the community, Jeffrey had a long way to go, as he was recovering from heart stent surgery and a partial foot amputation. He credits the Morristown Manor staff for motivating him to persevere.
“Seeing them work so hard made me realize that I had plenty of fight in me,” he said. “One nursing assistant named Victoria was always helping people all over the community and moving from room to room, but she also took the time to sit down and talk to me. One day I asked her how she does it all and she said, ‘I love my job.’”
Seeing staff members like Victoria care so deeply helped Jeffrey in physical therapy, pushing him to walk greater distances and climb more stairs.
Jeffrey’s strength in rehab also stemmed from being a generally passionate guy with his own zest for life and work. His career highlights include patenting and inventing some of the first commercial LED lights in the decorative industry, developing drone technology, and creating electronic controls for prosthetic limbs — among many other endeavors.
“I’m a big nerd,” Jeffrey said with joy. “I’m still curious about technology, and I still love it, so I want to continue consulting and doing whatever I can in this field.”
Jeffrey is now home from rehab and reading up on the latest technological trends. He’s also staying on top of his health with various medical appointments. He feels like a different person than the one who passed through the doors of Morristown Manor back in January, which is a fitting change now in the midst of spring — the season of renewal.
“I’m forever indebted to the staff of Morristown Manor,” he said. “They gave me my life back.”
