Staying resilient: Spinal cord injury survivor gets warm welcome after leaving rehab center

A college senior moved into an assisted living facility with her parents Monday after months of rehabilitation living in Glen Cove.
Rebecca Koltun, 21, was in a skiing accident that left her as a quadriplegic. The college senior got a warm welcome when she arrived at Brandywine Senior Living in Melville with her parents.
“I’m excited to be not in a hospital, where I can hang out with my friends, get my van, go out and explore the world,” Koltun says.
She was applying to medical school when she had a skiing accident and suffered a spinal cord injury that has left her paralyzed from the neck down.
“I’ve definitely felt the love and support from the community,” Koltun says. “I’m really excited to be able to thank them in person and have people come visit me.”
Her parents Audrey and Scott Koltun say they’ve remained positive as their daughter was going through her recovery.
Rebecca Koltun has also been staying resilient and motivated.
“I think about all the others that are in my type of situation with spinal cord injury and seeing all the lives they’ve created for themselves,” Rebecca Koltun says.
Her parents are renovating their home to make it more accessible for their daughter. They plan to move back to Plainview when it’s ready.
They are still looking for nurses and are raising money for their daughter’s 24-hour care.