Pastor Paralyzed in Bike Crash Walks Again in 10 Months

Ten months ago, Jim Terwilliger couldn't wiggle his toes. Today, he's playing pickleball and returning to full-time work as a pastor in Oregon.

Terwilliger was biking near Woodburn last September when he crashed into a small bus on Boones Ferry Road. The impact bent his spinal cord "like an accordion" and left him paralyzed from the neck down.

"I immediately knew I was paralyzed. I couldn't feel my legs and my arms were damaged," he said. Lying on the pavement, struggling to breathe, the North Marion Fellowship pastor had a conversation with God about whether this was the end.

It wasn't. Medical crews arrived and rushed him to surgery, where doctors delivered sobering news to his family. He had just a 4% chance of ever using his legs again.

But Terwilliger's daughter reminded the medical team that her family believed in miracles. That belief turned out to be well-placed.

Surgeons discovered his spinal cord hadn't snapped completely, allowing them to move it back into place. Ten days after the accident, Terwilliger wiggled his toe for the first time. That tiny movement sparked a remarkable recovery.

He spent four weeks at Good Samaritan Hospital, one of the country's top spinal cord rehabilitation centers. By the time he left, he could stand with assistance. Since then, he's worked through physical therapy nearly every day.

The progress has been steady and stunning. Terwilliger graduated from a power wheelchair to walking. He's now hiking local trails and playing pickleball as part of his ongoing recovery.

Why This Inspires

Terwilliger's journey isn't just about physical healing. Throughout his recovery, he's experienced what he calls "stupid peace," borrowed from a Bible verse about "peace that passes all understanding."

"I had this peace from the very beginning," he explained. "I can't explain it except for my relationship with Christ."

This September 1st, exactly one year after the accident that nearly took his life, Terwilliger returns to full-time ministry. He still has challenging days when he mourns what he's lost, but he focuses on what lies ahead instead.

His medical team had prepared his family for a lifetime of wheelchair use. Instead, he's proof that statistics don't tell the whole story.