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In This Issue:
Jonathan Villace
Four years ago, Wongaton Jonathan Villace was out for a run through his hometown, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean country, trapping his legs under a collapsed side wall.
Villace, now 16 years old, was stranded for many hours until a rescue team was able to extract his body from the debris and bring him to a local hospital. Doctors told Villace that his broken legs were so severely injured, he likely would not walk again.
"It was a bad time for me," said Villace. "I had little hope."
Villace was in the hospital for three days before he was reunited with his mother, who, due to the confusion of the earthquake aftermath, was initially unable to locate him. After getting into contact with his Boston-based aunt, Villace and his mother were connected with BWH physicians who were volunteering in the response effort in Haiti. Villace's BWH physicians were able to save his legs, and he remained in a local hospital in recovery for three months. Today, Villace leads an active lifestyle that involves running and playing sports.
In June 2013, Villace and his mother moved to Boston, where he is now a student at TechBoston Academy. Inspired by his BWH physicians and hoping to give back to the hospital, the high school student is interning at BWH as part of Workforce Development's summer intern program.
"I really appreciate what the BWH doctors did for me, especially since they had to drive a long way to come to the more rural hospital where I was located to care for me," Villace said. "They fixed both of my legs, and I am so grateful."
As part of the summer program, Villace is interning with BWH Food Services and says he loves interacting with his coworkers. He hopes to return to the Brigham next year and gain additional experience in a different department. Having been given the ability to play football again, Villace someday hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon and join the BWH community.
"I am really happy to be working at the Brigham and giving back to the community that saved my life four years ago," he said.