San Francisco man’s remarkable comeback after a severe traumatic brain injury
San Francisco resident Martin “Marty” Dalton had always felt at home on the slopes of Palisades Tahoe. A lifelong skier, he never imagined a single run on the mountain would change everything.
Marty Dalton, a lifelong skier, has been racing, teaching and carving through the legendary slopes of the Sierra since the age of 5.
On April 4, 2024, 69-year-old Dalton crashed into a tree at 60 mph. The impact left him with a severe traumatic brain injury, broken bones, and vocal cord paralysis on his left side. Dalton was airlifted to a Nevada hospital, where he remained unconscious for two weeks while on life support. After waking up, he moved between medical facilities across the Bay Area, facing an uncertain future.
“I was angry and wasting away,” Dalton recalled. “My brain was working, but my body was broken, and I was scared.”
Dalton’s wife, Janet, fought for his recovery, pushing for his transfer to Sutter’s California Pacific Rehabilitation Center at CPMC’s Davies campus. With her persistence – and the advocacy of Erica Karol, clinical rehabilitation specialist – Dalton finally arrived at CPMC, marking a turning point.
A Team Approach to Recovery
When Dalton first reached the San Francisco facility, he couldn’t walk, stand or eat on his own. He was deaf in one ear, faced vision impairments and relied on a feeding tube.
At Sutter’s CPMC, a dedicated team led by occupational therapist Holli Castelli rallied around Dalton to help him reach his potential.
Marty Dalton’s daily schedule was filled with rigorous appointments – occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy – pushing him toward recovery every step of the way.
“When Holli met me, she asked, ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, ‘Exercise,’ and we got started right away,” Dalton recalls. “She challenged me to set goals and stay accountable, even when we disagreed.”
As Castelli explains, the pair focused intently on improving Marty’s cognitive ability, physical function including vision, and psychosocial wellness throughout their occupational therapy sessions together.
Speech-language pathologist John Garfinkle also played a pivotal role, helping Dalton relearn the skills needed to communicate and swallow. Garfinkle even arranged for the hospital chef to visit when he was ready to transition back to solid foods.
“John really guided me through my challenges with thinking, communication and swallowing. He provided the education and support to help me make decisions – and to trust the process,” Dalton says.
Jennifer Witt, physical therapist, also rebuilt Dalton’s balance and motor control. She guided him through real-world scenarios such as climbing stairs, getting in and out of bed on his own, and increasing his stamina on the treadmill.
“As a specialized brain injury team, we see Marty as a whole person,” Castelli says. “Our goal is to help our patients maximize their quality of life and regain independence. As part of this transdisciplinary team, which includes occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, nurses, activity therapists, medical doctors and neuropsychologists, we work together to ensure the best possible outcome for each patient.”
Newsweek ranks CPMC’s Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation program #1 in California
After a ski crash that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, Marty Dalton relearned essential skills like walking and eating with the help of the expert brain injury team at Sutter CPMC’s California Pacific Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco.
An Unbreakable Spirit
With the compassion and expertise of his care team, Dalton made incredible progress. Within two weeks, he was walking on his own, his speech had improved and he was eating without a feeding tube.
Dalton’s journey continued at home after discharge. He received continued support from Sutter Care at Home therapists, reinforcing the strides he’d made while at CPMC’s acute rehabilitation.
His wife Janet marvels at his transformation. “Before CPMC, he wasn’t even walking,” she recalls. “Coming to CPMC changed everything. They made him whole.”
According to Castelli, ‘Marty’s determination and resilience is remarkable. He embraced and integrated each piece of new information without hesitation. His work ethic and willingness to be vulnerable while rebuilding his cognitive, physical and emotional self after a traumatic brain injury allowed Marty to achieve his goals.”
Looking back on his experience, Dalton credits his CPMC care team for helping him re-engage with life and heal. “Every person I encountered was fantastic. They knew when to be tough and when to show tenderness, and that’s exactly what I needed. They looked after me like family.”
For more information about Sutter Health’s California Pacific Rehabilitation Center at CPMC’s Davies campus, call 415-600-6153.
Marty is back to enjoying the activities he loves and cherishing time with his family, deeply grateful for their unwavering support – especially his wife, Janet, whose love has been his strength through it all.
