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BE native shows courage in the face of adversity

Alicia Ober’s family to hold a benefit for an accessible vehicle

By Fiona Green - Staff Writer | Mar 31, 2024

Alicia Ober is pictured with her family, above. She is in the front row, left, with her son, Preston, to her right. In the back row, left to right, are Alicia’s mother, Kim; husband, Shaun; son, Tridyn; grandpa, Bubba; father, Lee; grandma, Beverly; and son, Ian.

Alicia (Jahnke) Ober’s life changed forever on Dec. 9, 2021.

That day, a devastating car accident left Alicia, a Blue Earth native, battling seizures that ravaged her daily life. She has since been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and functional neurological disorder.

A terrifying episode during a family vacation in 2023 further intensified Alicia’s challenges.

“A seizure lasting a staggering 30 minutes struck while enjoying a day at the park,” Alicia’s mother, Kim Jahnke, relates. “With medical attention out of reach, the aftermath of this ordeal led to inflicting damage to her brain – exacerbating her seizure condition – and a blood clot journeying from her legs to her lungs.”

Alicia was immediately hospitalized when she returned to her home in Rochester, and she discovered she was unable to walk.

Although she has since undergone hours of physical therapy, the numbness in Alicia’s legs persists, leaving her wheelchair-bound.

Alicia’s husband, Shaun Ober, who is an IT tech at Mayo Clinic, remains her devoted caregiver.

“In this journey, (Shaun) stands as her pillar of strength, tenderly caring for her every need,” Kim says.

However, the couple is in desperate need of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for Alicia, as both recognize the dangers of Shaun continuing to lift her in and out of their truck.

Alicia’s family is planning a benefit on April 6 to help the Obers fulfill this need. It will be held at Elmore’s Minn-Iowa Golf Course with a free-will donation meal and silent auction.

Both Alicia and Kim are excited to announce that one of the auction items will be a safari hunt at Wild Wildebeest Lodge in Thabazimbi, a town in South Africa. The generous offering was donated by Mike and Karen Helbing.

The family and community support represents a bright spot in a troubled time for Alicia, who says her condition has worsened recently.

“I have been getting worse with my seizures – they have been happening daily,” Alicia says. “It leaves me to the point where I’m debilitated for the rest of the day.”

Alicia, who was a CNA for 16 years before her accident, says the past few years have represented a huge adjustment.

“It’s a big life adjustment going from working full-time outside of the home to being in a wheelchair, navigating wheelchair life,” she explains.

And, Alicia says that navigating the world in a wheelchair is often more challenging than it ought to be.

“It’s an eye-opener when you’re in a wheelchair, and a place says it is wheelchair-accessible, and it’s not,” she says. “Going out in public, we’ve got to really plan ahead when we travel.”

Alicia says bathrooms often pose a huge issue. Sometimes, stalls are not large enough, or the sink counter is too tall.

Public doorways will often be too narrow, or aisles will be so narrow that it is difficult, sometimes impossible, to navigate a space in a wheelchair.

“It’s really frustrating,” Alicia admits. “More people need to be aware of whether places really are ADA accessible.”

Nonetheless, Alicia persists.

As her mother says, “In the face of unimaginable challenges, Alicia embodies resilience and unwavering courage.”

Kim observes that her daughter has led a life of commitment to service through fostering children and welcoming foreign exchange students, and spearheading charitable initiatives like toy drives and homeless shelters.

Alicia even donated bone marrow to her brother, Josh Jahnke, in 2011, making possible a life-changing transplant.

Kim concludes, “Alicia’s story serves as a testament to the boundless capacity of the human spirit to overcome even the most daunting obstacles. Through her courage and unwavering determination, she reminds us all that adversity may bend us, but it will never break us.”

To follow Alicia’s journey and contribute to her cause, visit https://www.spotfund.com/story/83f43a52-315c-45a1-b78e-af98c5a00a8b