GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota – As a young child, Dr. Shirlee Xie knew she wanted to serve patients and help people. That goal became a reality when she was hired at Hennepin Healthcare fifteen years ago.
“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Xie said.
During the pandemic, she joined other health workers at a news conference, imploring people to get vaccinated and avoid large crowds.
Not only is she a passionate physician, but also a loving mother of two and an avid hiker.
It is her passion for travel that brought Xie and her husband to Switzerland for a two-week hiking trip.
It wasn’t until day two that she had a life-changing accident, falling about 300 feet down a mountain.
She was airlifted to hospital after suffering several broken bones, a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures to her spine, leaving her completely paralyzed from the chest down.
“The hardest thing is that I can’t do things on my own. I have to rely on people for many things,” Xie said as she held back tears. “It’s not something I’m used to.”
The doctor who worked for more than a decade to help others could now help heal himself.
On Thursday evening, in her room at the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Xie spoke about the remarkable victories since that fateful day.
“I can dress myself,” she said.
Despite all this, she is optimistic about a bright future – one where she can travel, work and be an active parent to her children.
A fundraiser has been set up to help her family with health insurance and costs associated with her recovery.
Ubah Ali
