Fondly called a “water baby” due to his love of the ocean, Marcos Ornellas was facing paralysis after a dive from his surfboard — that’s when UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital stepped in to provide life-changing care.
Marcos Ornellas was surfing with his friends when he dove from his surfboard to avoid colliding with another surfer. He realized too late that a sandbar was directly underneath his board, and the impact immobilized him. After being rushed by emergency helicopter to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, the teen faced a critical spine surgery. Thanks to the trauma team, this surgery was so successful that Marcos was able to make tiny movements within the first few days of recovery. After months of rehabilitation and ongoing care, the teen is out of his wheelchair and regaining muscle strength and mobility every day.
