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Three months after sustaining a fall that resulted in both ankles being broken, Pat Nanney, has returned to the public eye and to his love of photography. He regularly posted all types of photographs on his Facebook post where he has more than 3,100 followers. He is back shooting pictures and posting on Facebook.
The well known DJ with WAGY's Friday morning True Oldies Downtown Radio, a champion for the Town of Forest City and Rutherford County and a photographer whose work has been in Rutherford Weekly, Nanney, talked about the injury that kept him off his feet since before Christmas.
He returned to the radio program last month and also returned to the Rutherford County Senior Center to help Fern Mohr celebrate her 100th birthday on Friday. He is a regular at the Center, not only enjoying the activities and good lunch, Nanney is also their unofficial photographer. He has covered most events for the Town of Forest City for years as well as other news happenings throughout the county.
Nanney talked about the ankle breaks that required surgery and subsequent recovery process.
"(Three months after)...People ask what caused the fall and the answer is still 'I don't know'," he said of the account of the accident that occurred as he walked down a staircase after Christmas handbell practice at Florence Baptist Church in Forest City on a Wednesday night.
"I do know that at the moment the accident happened I became almost totally dependent on other people, EMS, the hospital staff, the team at Fair Haven Forest City, family and friends," Nanney said. "I could feed myself when meals were placed in front of me and I could operate the TV remote."
But he could not put any weight on his feet and ankles which required a harness to be placed under his body and a lift was used to transport him from bed to a wheelchair or recliner.
"You appreciate small advances like being able to go from the bed to wheelchair by sliding on a board," he said.
There were larger milestones such as taking his first steps while being supported by parallel bars.
It was a huge day in rehabilitation when he could stand and move from the wheelchair to the recliner or to the bathroom with the use of a walker as long as someone was with him in the room.
"Finally I was upgraded to being able to transfer about my room without having to call someone to be present," he continued.
Nanney said a person's priorities change "quickly in an instance such as this."
With the Christmas season just weeks away when he had his accident, Nanney had planned to be involved with the downtown activities in Forest City such as the tree lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving evening, the Christmas parade and other events across the town and county.
"Of course I missed my times of hosting shows on True Oldies Downtown Radio," he continued.
Nanney said those whom he was depending did many things to help him enjoy the holidays as much as possible.
His son David brought and filled bird feeders outside his window at Fair Haven so he could continue his hobby of photographing birds, "I was able to get some nice close ups," he said.
Nanney said he tried to keep a positive attitude and work hard in therapy to be able to return home and begin to resume normal activities as soon as possible.
"The morning I was scheduled to leave Fair Haven everyone was swabbed and I tested positive for Covid," he said. Nanney's symptoms were mild and he said had the nursing home staff not done the test, "I would not have suspected that I had Covid," he said.
The choice at that point was for Nanney to continue with plans to go home and to quarantine there five days.
"This is a good example of having good news and bad news," he said.
"The word dependent keeps recurring. I will never be able to thank all of those who did help me in any way but every act of kindness was appreciated.
"I have a new appreciation of people who help other people especially those needing care 24 hours a day. I know that this experience has made me want to be the type of person who others can depend on in times of need," he added.
At the 100th birthday party for Fern Mohr at the Rutherford County Senior Center on Feb. 18, Nanney -- with his camera around his neck -- was welcomed back to the dining area with applauses as he photographed the group and Mrs. Mohr. He immediately posted pictures on his Facebook post just like he had done for a long time at the Center.
Among those he publicly thanks is Johnnie Akins. On his post Friday, Nanney thanked Adkins for providing safe transportation to and from the radio station "since I returned to the airwaves last month.
"Thank you to him and all who have assisted in my recovery on this National Caregivers Day," he said Friday.
When Nanney shows up with his camera around his neck, be sure the pictures will be shared sooner or later.
Better than Candid Camera.
