Special surprise delivered to Hebron teen recovering from crash

Baltimore Ravens gear was packed into a bag and taken from Wicomico County to Baltimore on Friday by Mardela High teacher Ted Ramey.

The bag included a jersey, gloves, letter and hat for Tyler Ennis, 17, a football fan Ramey considers a ‘mentee’.

Ramey says the staff at Mardela High School and PTA put the gifts together through fundraisers and donations for the high school senior.

“We had been working on stuff at Mardela to get together for him, because we wanted to make the visit very special and he’s a special guy, so we wanted to make sure that this day was about him more than about anybody else,” he explains.

Tyler was hurt after being involved in a car crash on Sharptown Road in early August. His mother tells 47ABC as a result, the basketball player broke two femur bones and his arm.

“I was in shock.,” recalls Tyler. “I mean, I’ve seen things but like…I couldn’t really say anything, but I knew where I was and what was happening and I tried to get myself out of the car but…I couldn’t.”

For the past month and a half, he’s been recovering at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.

The facility specializes in treatment for children and adolescents with brain, spinal cord and musculoskeletal system disorders.

Tyler says he spends an hour and a half doing both physical and occupational therapy six days a week.

One goal according to Elizabeth Cater, an occupational therapist at Kennedy Krieger, is to restore movement and strength of Tyler’s right hand.

When 47ABC caught up with Tyler on Friday, he admitted some days are harder than others and recovery can be frustrating at times; however, the 17-year-old plans to graduate this upcoming spring and says he’s getting stronger every day.

“Just like my physical therapist says, ‘PT’ means pain and torture, so I’m working hard through it. It’s painful, but I’m trying to get out of here as fast as I can,” he says.

He also adds visits from home like Friday’s are just more motivation.

“I’m just so thankful like, I know they know I would do stuff for them if they needed it, so I’m glad they’re doing it for me,” he says.

As for school work, Tyler says he is getting some assignments through Mardela High School.