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Diving accident leaves man paralyzed

June 8 started out like any other day for Dwyght Duperron. He woke up next to his partner, Jamie Eherer, kissed him on the head and left his Westlock home to head off to work. But by that evening his life would change forever.
On July 5 Jamie Eherer (left) and Dwyght Duperron enjoy the sun outside of the University of Alberta Hospital. A June 8 diving accident at Narrow Lake left Duperron paralyzed.
On July 5 Jamie Eherer (left) and Dwyght Duperron enjoy the sun outside of the University of Alberta Hospital. A June 8 diving accident at Narrow Lake left Duperron paralyzed.

June 8 started out like any other day for Dwyght Duperron.

He woke up next to his partner, Jamie Eherer, kissed him on the head and left his Westlock home to head off to work. But by that evening his life would change forever.

“It’s amazing how something you do normally can change your world,” said Eherer.

That evening they went fishing with friends and family out on Narrow Lake in Athabasca County.

“It was secluded and we’ve had luck fishing out here before,” said Duperron. “A few weeks before that we even caught and kept one.”

Most of the family headed home after fishing, leaving Duperron, Eherer, and a close friend lakeside. Eherer was building a fire, as it was getting chilly, while Duperron and the friend enjoyed a swim.

Duperron headed for the dock to execute a shallow dive, something he had done numerous times before. He lined up his toes over the edge, eyed where he wanted to go and pushed off.

“Most people jumped in feet first and it created this little crater on the bottom over time”

Duperron hit the water, the force of the dive carrying him downwards, his brow hitting the bottom and causing his head to snap backwards.

“I was still conscious under the water and I couldn’t make my arms work properly,” said Duperron while trying to maintain control recounting the event.

“Every once and a while I could get a little bubble of air — a bubble of life”

The friend, who wishes to remain unnamed, was about 50 metres away from the dock noticed Duperron’s arms flailing in the water, his head still below the surface and realized something was wrong. She got to Duperron and pulled him free.

“I got the first full breath of air,” said Duperron, “It’s something I will always be thankful to her for.”

She got him to the shore where Duperron complained of not having any feeling in his body. They called EMS and an ambulance was dispatched from Athabasca.

“STARS was going to fly out, but couldn’t because of the weather,” said Eherer.

“They checked my vitals and that’s where my memory ends,” said Duperron.

“The rest of the trip was a blur.”

The ambulance took Duperron to Westlock Healthcare Centre where over the next three hours he was X-rayed and monitored, but they couldn’t determine the cause.

“They should have had him under c-spine protocols, but didn’t take his c-spine collar off during the X-ray,” said Eherer

Duperron was transferred to the University of Alberta Hospital where the family and Eherer was told the full extent of his injury.

He had fractured his C6 vertebrae and punctured his spinal column.

“I was destroyed, I just broke down,” said Eherer.

On June 12, only four days after the injury, Duperron underwent spinal fixation surgery.

They removed part of his hip and used the modified bone and a titanium plate in an attempt to repair the vertebrae.

Since then Duperron has been working hard at his recovery, undergoing physio-therapy, and throughout the entire journey Eherer has been by his side.

“I’m only working five hours a day right now, so the rest of the time I can be here,” said Eherer. “I’ve also moved in with his sister here in the city.”

Duperron has surpassed all expectations when it comes to the speed of his recovery. He has restored feeling and movement in his arms, but currently has no feeling below the armpits.

“I started to get feeling in my sides today when I was bathed, I felt it,” said Duperron.

“The doctors are fairly confident that he’ll regain most of the mobility in his upper body,” said Eherer.

Duperron is already able to push himself for short periods of time in a large wheel chair and has been practicing using his arms to walk himself up into a sitting position.

“So far that’s the hardest exercise,” said Duperron

Once a blood clot clears Duperron will be transferred to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital where the work will get even harder.

“I still have faith I’m going to walk out of the Glenrose,” said Duperron.

High on spirits and determined, both partners are prepared for the fight ahead, but realize that their lives have changed.

A friend of theirs started up a GoFundMe page where those that wish to help can contribute.

Those looking to support Duperron’s journey can go to https://www.gofundme.com/dwyghtsrecovery.

“Our life is going to and has already changed. I already had to give up our house in Westlock and we are going to need new transportation, because Dwyght is going to need to travel to appointments three or more times a week,” said Eherer.

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