Peter Cerevka

Husband, Father, Grandfather

Paradigm Hero

One day in April Peter Cerevka’s life would change forever. He was working at a construction job site and fell through a skylight—a 25 foot fall that resulted in both a traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. He faced a long and difficult recovery which was compounded by the fact that Peter speaks limited English.

Lynda Kirchner, RN, a Paradigm Nurse Case Manager, began working with his attending physicians at the acute care facility to have Peter admitted into the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, New Jersey, one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation hospitals. Paradigm’s Injury Management Team developed a customized management program to ensure he received all the right care throughout his recovery.

At Kessler, Peter worked closely with their medical experts and rehabilitation specialists to overcome the challenges of a brain and spinal cord injury and to reach his goal of becoming as independent as possible. Lynda also worked closely with Peter’s daughter, Eva, and a translator to ensure Peter understood his care team and was involved in all his care decisions.

Throughout his rehabilitation, Peter remained steadfast about being able to stand and walk. This determination, combined with comprehensive treatment coordination, has helped him begin walking again with the support of leg braces and a walker, and enabled him to spend quality time with his wife, daughter and grandson. Peter’s perseverance truly makes him an outstanding person and a “Paradigm Hero.”