MADISON — Parker Haines went from barely moving his neck to standing on his own and doing squats in just four years after suffering a gunshot wound to the head at a friend’s house in February 2018.

Haines was only 16 years old when he was shot in the right side of his head. Now, four years later, Haines is recovering and working towards driving his own Chrysler Pacifica van, which is what a fundraiser on GoFundMe is all about.

“I’ve recovered quite well,” Haines said. “When I first got injured, I couldn’t do much. I’ve gotten a little movement back in my right arm and leg, and I’m still working on my left arm and leg.”

As of Wednesday, the fundraiser is at $9,890 out of a $45,000 goal.

The Chrysler Pacifica is modified for Haines to drive while in his electric wheelchair and receive driving lessons from Methodist Rehab in Jackson.

While recovering, Haines graduated from Germantown High School in 2020.

He said there are a lot of challenges to his recovery, such as learning the basic things again like dressing himself, going to the gym, and getting inside the gym by himself.

“Working out and learning these movements again has been my biggest accomplishments,” Haines said. “I can move around 40 percent of my body on a treadmill now.”

Mike Blamberg, Haines’ stepfather and organizer of the Parker Haines GoFundMe, said Haines only had a three-percent chance of surviving, but God had bigger plans.

“Parker was in a coma at UMC for 28 days after being shot, and he woke up on his mother Ashley's birthday,” Blamberg said. “He went to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, after many hours and days of therapy for four months, he was able to get into a wheelchair with help.”

As of right now, Parker is still unable to walk on his own, but he can lift weights with his legs and walk very slowly with a therapist helping him.

“Every year is getting better with him, and he’s improving a lot,” Blamberg said. “He’s determined to walk again, and it’s encouraging for other people to see. Everyone is working with him to give him the independence of walking back. He can lift weights with his legs, but his brain is still not telling him to walk. We’re not sure if he’ll be able to walk again, but his brain is still recovering, and he’s young. It’s possible.”

Blamberg said watching Parker get to the point where he can slowly walk with a therapist is very encouraging. You'd never known he'd been shot."

“Parker has used this experience to teach people safety around guns, and he tries to talk to everyone around him whenever he can,” Blamberg said. “His momentum is great. He truly is a strong young man that is grateful and encourages others despite his incident.”

Outside of therapy, Haines enjoys working out at Stark Fitness and fishing with his one-armed battery-operated fishing pole, known as a “one-armed fishing rail.” 

He hopes to get a job soon and start a family sometime in the foreseeable future.

“I’m not sure what kind of job I can get, but I hope it’s something I can easily do from my wheelchair,” Haines said. “I want to start a family soon, too, and work hard for the rest of my life. I also hope to walk again, and I am working on it.”

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/chrysler-pacifica-vantransportation-for-parker.

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