From a Bed at Craig Hospital to a Bike at Pedal 4 Possible 

Ambitious hikers from all over the world travel to Colorado to challenge themselves by climbing a “Fourteener” — a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet.

And on August 16, 2024, 43-year-old Mark Eller and his brother, Ryan, did just that.

“The hike was very challenging, and we didn’t break any speed records, but we did it,” Mark explains. “There were times in my recovery when I never thought I’d be able to hike again, so being able to get back outside in nature to hike … it was a great day!”

What made it even more impressive was that the hike celebrated Mark’s one-year anniversary of being admitted to the hospital after contracting a serious case of West Nile Virus.

A Fateful Mosquito Bite

Last summer, Mark developed symptoms similar to the flu after spending time hiking in the Colorado mountains.

“I thought I could just sleep it off, but the symptoms only got worse. After a check-in call from my brother, he became extremely concerned by my slurred speech and confusion. He called an ambulance, which rushed me to the hospital.” 

After five days in the ICU and numerous tests, a spinal tap confirmed West Nile Virus, which attacked Mark’s nervous system, causing paralysis from the waist up.  “I could not hold up my head, move my arms, or breathe on my own,” he recalls. “My diaphragm was paralyzed, and I was placed on a vent.”

Mark spent several weeks at a hospital near his Colorado home before transferring to Craig in October.

There, he concentrated on physical, occupational and speech therapy for the next three months. “I focused on improving my core muscles to be able to walk again, and I worked on upper body strength and coordination,” he recalls. “Due to being on the vent and not being able to speak, my vocal cords atrophied, so I also needed to relearn how to speak, along with eat, swallow and chew.”

In addition, Mark spent a lot of time in recreational therapy, participating in golf putting, table hockey, basketball dribbling, and adaptive biking. “I owe so much to Craig Hospital because they got me home and back to life. And on April 1, I was even able to return to my job as a partner at KPMG,” he says.

Today, Mark is still working on improving his respiratory and upper body strength. “I’m no longer in a wheelchair, but I still can’t do a pushup. But I am working on it, and I know I’ll get there.”

He adds, “My time at Craig was so positive. Battling West Nile was a very traumatic experience for me, but the team at Craig was encouraging and supportive. I was facing so many unknowns, and while I didn’t know what my recovery would look like, Craig taught me about strength, tenacity and how to live with challenges.”

Saying Thank You

It’s this gratitude that inspired Mark and KPMG to give back to Craig.

“Last October, when I was in the hospital and too sick to participate in Pedal 4 Possible, my company, KPMG, became an event sponsor as a way to support me. But this year, I am able to participate as a P4P rider with KPMG’s financial and emotional support. Happily, I will be on an e-bike in the October 26 event with my company behind me.”

Mark adds, “Thinking back to where I was last year—no thanks to a mosquito—brings up powerful emotions. But I am so happy to be outside doing the activities that I enjoy. I feel extremely grateful for how far I’ve come.”