Senior prom comes to football player injured in wreck

ABILENE, Texas — When a high school senior who had been seriously injured in a car wreck couldn't go to his prom, the prom came to him.

Alex Ortega, who goes to Stamford High School about 50 miles north of Abilene, lost part of his left leg in the February accident and is getting physical therapy at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital here.

He had hoped to travel for his prom, but he his stamina isn't what it used to be. No problem — the mothers of the other senior students, along with Sabrina Casey, wife of Stamford coach Ronnie Casey, decided to throw another prom in the dining room at HealthSouth.

"We were so stoked when we found out we were going to be able to do this for Alex," Sabrina Casey said. "We were more excited about this prom than the real one."

Everyone involved in the process, especially students, was excited about giving Ortega a prom, said Sonia Viertel, one of the moms who helped make the dance a reality.

"This group of kids are so close," she said. "When Alex was hurt, it was very hard for them."

While it may have been an abbreviated version of last week's prom, it had a lot of the same royal trappings. Girls were in their gowns, and Ortega was looking sharp in a black tux with a silver vest that set off his black shirt and silver bow tie.

"He looks amazing," said Kelli Freeman, HealthSouth's marketing director.

Ortega's father, Robert Newels, said his son was excited about getting to go to this prom.

"He's been waiting for this," Newels said.

About two dozen students came for the prom, which featured barbecue and, of course, dancing. Ortega moved around the floor in his wheelchair.

When HealthSouth officials told the moms they wanted to give Ortega a prom, that was all they needed to hear, Freeman said.

"They took it from there," she said. "They took care of everything."

By all accounts, Ortega is the type of person who inspires people around him, even though his football coach said Ortega isn't a demonstrative person.

"He's one of our quiet leaders," Ronnie Casey said. "For the ladies to do this for him, it's a true testament to how much they love him."

Ortega is the quintessential friend, teammate and student, Viertel said.

"He's so good," she said. "He's funny, and he's nice to everyone. He's what an all-around student should be like."

Ortega came to HealthSouth a couple of weeks ago, and he'll be discharged soon to continue rehab on his own. Chief Executive Joe Roberson said his staff has grown attached to Ortega, and he predicted the teenager will make a full recovery.

"He's going to graduate in a couple of months, and he's going to excel at anything he wants to do," he said.

Ronnie Casey already knew that about Ortega. He said Ortega overcame a broken thumb during football season and showed no self-pity for an injury that cost him a major part of his senior season.

The coach said he had no doubt that Ortega would overcome this much more serious injury.

Three students were injured in the one-vehicle wreck just north of Anson, Texas, on the morning of Feb. 6, a Saturday. Ortega, who was 17 at the time, was the driver.

The other two passengers were not seriously injured.

"He's his own warrior," Casey said of Ortega. "Defeat is not in his vocabulary. If there's anyone who'll be able to come back from this, it's Alex."

Follow photographer Nellie Doneva on Twitter: @NellieDoneva

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