‘God works miracles’: Chesterfield man returning home after being hospitalized in Lithuania

LITHUANIA (WWBT) - A Chesterfield man is coming home to Central Virginia after suffering a severe injury from a swimming accident in Lithuania on July 19.

“Right now, I mean, I’m just kind of stressed out, ready to be home,” said Eric Jessee from his hospital room in Lithuania on Thursday. “God works miracles, and the fact that I’m sitting here talking to you is a miracle.”

The Chesterfield man was on a mission trip with Kingsland Baptist Church in Lithuania when a day at the beach took an unexpected turn.

“I ended up being the first one to go in the water, and I dove into a swell, like if you were at the Outer Banks,” said Jessee. “I hit something in the water and shattered my C5 vertebra.”

The 23-year-old said he nearly drowned after the accident left him paralyzed.

“I was kind of distraught, like scared in that exact moment, not knowing what was going on,” he said. “My legs were numb and my hands were balled up like this.”

Jessee said his friends helped him get out of the water and held his neck in place for 45 minutes until an ambulance arrived. The 23-year-old went through surgery and spent between three to four days in the ICU, where he learned about the severity of his injury.

“My whole entire C5 was pretty much just destroyed,” he said. “It’s the kind of injury that causes sudden death; there’s no way that I should’ve made it out of the water, is what my surgeon said.”

This moment marked the start of a long road to recovery.

“I have slight movement in both of my legs, so I have hope to walk again, but it’s still too early to really know,” said Jessee.

Jessee is desperate to continue his medical care back in Central Virginia.

During an interview with 12 On Your Side on Thursday, the 23-year-old said Anthem approved everything, but said the insurance company has left them in the dark about the exact timeline of when he will be transferred to VCU Medical Center.

“We haven’t been given a timeline,” said Jennifer Jesse, Eric’s mother. “We’ve been told things were approved, and then it was just the hospital stay, not air transport. The list goes on, and on, and on.”

Jennifer Jessee has been by her son’s side in the hospital, trying to get answers from the insurance company about the transfer’s status.

“I just need somebody to care enough to tell me when I can tell my son we’re going home,” she said.

On Friday, Jessee’s family notified 12 On Your Side that Eric Jessee will be coming home by the end of the weekend.

12 On Your Side also reached out to Anthem for comment on Jessee’s case. On Friday, the insurance company sent 12 On Your Side the following statement:

“From the very beginning of Mr. Jessee’s situation we have been closely involved in supporting his care. We’ve coordinated with medical services in Lithuania and here in Richmond to ensure he receives the treatment he needs and can continue his recovery closer to home. We remain committed to working with his care providers and wish him well in his recovery.”

As the recovery journey starts, Jessee is leaning on his faith to overcome this difficult time.

“God was with me in that moment, and God is still with me in this moment and every moment,” he told 12 On Your Side. “I could sit here and question it all day long about why it happened to me, but it’s not going to get me anywhere. I just put my faith in God that everything is going to be ok.”

Kingsland Baptist Church started a fundraiser to support Eric Jessee and his family. To donate to this fundraiser, click on this link, click on the drop-down menu and select “Eric Jessee Fund” as the option for your donation.

12 On Your Side+

Here’s our full interview with Eric Jessee and his mother, Jennifer: