Crystal Walley has always loved puttering in the garden, playing with her pets and spending time with family.
But the activities have new meaning in the wake of a West Nile virus (WNV) infection that paralyzed and nearly killed the Wayne County mother of two. “You don’t appreciate all the little things until they are taken away,” she says.
Now back on her feet, Walley is forever grateful for the groundbreaking discoveries being made at Methodist Rehab’s Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery. Center scientists were the first to link West Nile virus to a polio-like paralysis, and Walley says the expertise of renowned researcher Dr. Art Leis helped save her life.
“There’s not another in the world that can compare to him,” she said. “He truly loves what he does, and he is darn good at it.”
