Celebrating Progress, Perseverance and Promise

The Guardado-Solano family had resigned themselves to the fact that 20-year-old Ana “Karen” would never be coming home after her brain injury.

“Karen’s medical team in the ICU kept insisting that she would be in a nursing home for the rest of her life,” explains Ashley, Karen’s 24-year-old sister. “We were absolutely devastated by this news, and after a few months at the long-term acute care (LTAC) facility, we began to believe it—until Karen transferred to Craig. As soon as she arrived, her care team told us that we’d be taking her home at the end of her three-month rehabilitation.”

Ashley adds, “And then we found out that the Craig Foundation’s Going Home Fund would not only help us modify our home for Karen, but would support my parents through the guardianship process. We felt so thankful for all of this assistance because the situation was extremely daunting and overwhelming.”

A Challenging Time

An accounting student at Colorado State University, Karen had just joined a sorority and was enjoying college life in Fort Collins when Ashley found her sister unresponsive in November 2024.

At the hospital, Karen’s family learned that she had sustained a hypoxic brain injury. Soon after, she transferred to an LTAC. “Between myself, my two younger sisters and my parents, we never left Karen’s side,” Ashley recalls. “We were with her 24/7, praying and hoping for her recovery.”

It was a doctor at the LTAC who suggested Craig to the Guardado-Solano family. “Even though we are from Colorado, we had no idea that Craig existed,” she says.” But as soon as my dad, Eli, and I toured Craig, we fell in love. It truly felt like a different world compared to the LTAC. There was such light and warmth everywhere. Patients and families spent time together outside of their rooms, and you could feel the strong community. We knew it was where Karen needed to be.”

On March 12, 2025, Karen transferred to Craig for brain injury neurorehabilitation. “While the LTAC was just keeping my sister alive, Craig focused on progress and recovery,” Ashley says. “We built connections with Karen’s care team, and we felt like we belonged. It was like Craig had given Karen another opportunity at life.”

Thinking back to Karen’s first day at Craig, Ashley recalls her care team getting Karen out of bed and into a wheelchair: “We couldn’t believe it! Her team wanted to get Karen dressed and asked us for her clothes. Since her injury, she had been in bed, wearing only a hospital gown. We were beyond thrilled to actually get her out of her room!”

Feeling Seen and Heard

While Karen spent her days in physical, occupational, speech and music therapy, her family learned how to care for her once she discharged.

“From the very beginning, Karen’s family was knowledgeable and hands-on with her care,” explains Lori Snow-Ricord, a nurse in the Clinical Practice Specialist program, a donor-supported program that prepares patients and caregivers to perform nursing duties after discharge.

“We supported the family’s learning by practicing Karen’s skin, bladder and bowel care routines with them, while also teaching how to manage her respiratory and nutrition needs, including G-tube care and medication administration,” she explains.

Towards the end of Karen’s stay, her family participated in an independent living trial—a 48-hour period of time where Karen’s family members take over her care. “This allows us to watch them in action and determine whether any areas of care need additional work before discharge,” Lori says. “They did a fantastic job. It was their time to shine.”

While Karen was moving towards getting back home, Eli was busy working on home modifications. Thanks to the Going Home Fund—a program that helps families face the challenges of returning home after injury—Eli, a plumber by trade, gathered a large group of helpers over four weekends to add an accessible bedroom and bathroom onto their Denver home.

“The addition includes a large bedroom and roll-in shower for Karen, inspired by the rooms at Craig,” Ashley says. “The cost was hefty, but thanks to Craig’s generosity, we were able to build a new space for Karen that enables her to have a normal life.”

The Going Home Fund also supported Eli and Ana, Karen’s mother, as they worked with an attorney to help them through the complicated guardianship process. “We could not have made it through this experience without Craig’s help,” Ashley explains. “It was life changing.”

New Beginnings

Today, Karen is back home with her family. Ashley has become her full-time caregiver, with the help of her younger sisters, Helen and Antonella. “We are a very close-knit family, so everyone chips in to care for Karen. It takes a village,” Ashley says.

She adds, “After Karen’s injury, her doctors gave her a slim chance of surviving. But she’s here with us today, and we feel so lucky. I have learned that it’s important to never give up. There is light at the end of the tunnel, as long as you have hope and faith. I miss who Karen used to be, but I’ve learned to love who she is today. Love really does help us heal.”

To learn more or donate to help Craig patients like Karen, please visit craighospital.org/foundation/donate.