Closer to home: Grant Milton moving to Conroe facility

CONROE, Texas – Grant Milton will be closer to home this week as he transfers from TIRR Memorial Hermann to Touchstone Neurorecovery Center in Conroe.

Grant, 18, continues to rehabilitate from a traumatic brain injury he received at a Nov. 26 football game in Waco as The Woodlands High School Highlanders played Austin Bowie during regional playoffs.

"He still needs 24-hour care, but he doesn't need acute hospital care around the clock," said Miles Milton, Grant's father. "And at Touchstone, he will receive even more therapy – up to six hours a day."

Grant had a few setbacks in his recovery last month which delayed the transfer to Conroe until now.

"He had made a lot of progress up to and through April," Miles said. "His cognitive abilities were improving, he could make slight movements in some of his with limbs with help – if we held his wrist, he could write his name. The therapist would ask him to spell his name, so he clearly knows who he is.

"But for unknown reasons, he had a decline and a couple of medical issues that needed to be resolved. He seems to have come back to the point he was at in April. His cognitive abilities are there, and although he cannot speak, he answers yes/no questions through eye movements."

Miles said it could be another two years before the full picture of what Grant will and will not be able to do becomes clear.

"We all initially thought that six months down the road from the injury, he would be speaking to us and would have much more freedom of movement," Miles said. "When these things didn't materialize that way, it was a reality check. It truly began to sink in what a long journey this will be."

While Grant's journey may be different from his classmates, one thing remains the same – continual love and support from friends and family. Grant's mother, Patty, has provided constant support from the beginning, and Grant's friends continue to visit as often as possible even as they prepare to head off to college.

"Watching his classmates graduate was very emotional for all of us," Miles said. "It's been difficult going through these milestones that Grant has missed, but we're so proud of him and all of his friends."

Another tradition that will be different this year is Father's Day. Miles, Grant and his two older brothers, Connor and Pierce, would usually go golfing, skeet shooting or out to eat.

"It was definitely a guys' get-together," Miles said. "The hardest part now -- of the multiple hard parts -- is not being able to have a conversation with Grant."

Want to know more?

You can follow Grant's progress on CaringBridge, which is regularly updated by his parents Patty and Miles Milton.

You can also visit Grant's GoFund Me page here.