Courage Kenny Patient Gets Permanent ‘Joy Ride’
A crowd of family, friends, doctors and physical therapists gathered outside Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley on Thursday morning to watch Elisha Aurness receive a recumbent tricycle — a surprise donation courtesy of Birdies4Brains.
“I cannot believe it,” said Aurness. “What a blessing.”
A car crash in 2020 left Aurness with a traumatic brain injury. The former runner, bicyclist and kickboxer uses a wheelchair to get around most of the time.
“For three years, she’s kind of been stuck,” said her mother, Cindy Morast.
Brain injury patient Elisha Aurness, left, received a donated recumbent tricycle to use in her recovery.
During Elisha’s therapy, clinicians including Ryan Trench with Allina Health assessed her ability to operate the recumbent tricycle, which contains two wheels out front, an electric-assisted motor and automatic gear shifting.
“Sometimes you just see it click,” said Trench. “We rode around the parking lot, rode down the hall, and it was just working, and we didn’t have to make any drastic changes.”
But she could only use the trike when it was available, which wasn’t terribly often since other Courage Kenny clinics around the Twin Cities used it, too.
Her social worker got in touch with Birdies4Brains to see if the nonprofit, which raises money by hosting events such as its annual 100 Holes in One Day fundraiser.
“This, honestly, is why we do what we do,” said Executive Director Alissa Madden. “We are very fortunate to have supporters who help us with being able to do a grant like this that is as special as it is for Alisha and her family.”
The $10,000 tricycle was presented to Elisha on Thursday.
“I felt so empowered, like willing to do anything to do anything to make up for this,” said Aurness. “I’m very thankful.”
