Tim Ellis
1955- 2021

On Saturday morning of October 17, 2020, Tim and Debbie Ellis were riding their road bikes as usual when suddenly some small diameter tree branches in the bike lane got caught in the 64-year-old Tim's front wheel, bringing his bike to a sudden stop and throwing him over the handlebars.  He landed on his head and neck and sustained a severe spinal cord injury to the C2 – 4 vertebras in his neck. 

Two hospitals, two neck surgeries, 10 days in intensive care and 18 days after the accident, Tim was discharged from Kaiser Hospital to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Unit.  He spent 34 days there working as hard as possible on all his therapies – physical, occupational, speech and respiratory.  Though the injury was significant, he was classified as an ASIA C incomplete as he began experiencing some sensory and motor function.

He was able to ride a stationary bike from his wheelchair for up to 40 minutes.  His therapists and doctors were amazed at the hard work and dedication he put toward his recovery, and the amount of function that he did recover.  He was discharged greatly improved but still needing 24-hour care.  Tim’s function had improved to an ASIA D from his original ASIA C.

Tim continued to receive occupational and physical therapy at home and progressed to the point that he was able to spend several minutes a day standing with assistance; it seemed that within a week or so Tim would be taking his first assisted steps.  His arm and hand functions were also improving, although he was not able to use them functionally yet.  There was great hope that Tim would make a full or nearly full recovery, given time. 

And so it was a shock to all that Tim died suddenly and unexpectedly one morning in early January of 2021.  The cause was likely a sudden cardiac death or a pulmonary embolism, which are known risks for those with SCI.  Tim was a very giving and helping person, donating his time both pre and post-retirement to many charitable organizations.  Tim would have likely been a Samurai for NorCal SCI because of his passion to help others and his injury had opened his eyes to the challenges many less fortunate than him must endure.  Because of this, his wife Debbie chose to carry on his legacy of helping by donating Tim’s injury-related medical supplies to the NorCal SCI as well as becoming an Arch Angel investor as she is sure this is what Tim would have wanted.

Tim was very brave, accepting and hard-working relative to his accident and injury.  He was an inspiration to his doctors, nurses, therapists, family and friends.  His story should not be forgotten, but instead should memorialized to show how someone who is faced with a serious spinal cord injury can push onward to become the best person that they can be.