“Just bring yourself.”

These three words are what 22-year-old Justin Greenwood said to one of his friends, UW-Eau Claire senior Lisa Galligan, when she asked him if he wanted her to bring anything along, such as homemade cookies, before a recent visit.

“He’s making a lot of physical improvement,” said Galligan, who has known Justin for about three years. “He walks incredibly well with one person. He’s starting to rely less on his wheelchair.”

After Justin, then a junior in eligibility, sustained brain injuries during a football game on Sept. 27, he was admitted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. He has been transferred to University Good Samaritan Center in Minneapolis, said Greenwood’s mother, Glenda.

Besides his improved walking, Justin’s eyesight is progressing as well, Glenda said.

“I took him for a car ride for his appointment,” Glenda said. “He could see the green and red stop lights.”

Eyesight is only one of several things Justin works on during therapy. He rides an exercise bike and even lifts weights once in a while, Galligan said.

“I know that Justin likes to be pushed,” Galligan said. “He’s so motivated … that’s one really good thing about his recovery process.”

Additionally, Justin now is eating all normal foods. At the time of the accident, he weighed 208 pounds, Glenda said, and during recovery, his weight dropped down to 158 pounds.

“He’s up to about 190,” Glenda said. “He’s only 18 pounds away from where he started.”

Senior Dina De Camilli, who is the football team’s equipment manager, is another one of Justin’s good friends. De Camilli was on the field near Justin when the accident occurred. She said his accident was the most critical one she has ever seen.

“When I saw his eyes roll in the back of his head and his body shaking, I knew something was wrong,” De Camilli said.

Numerous doctors were on the field attending to him.

“They tried to bag him several times,” De Camilli said. “He was turning blue.”

He then was flown to Regions Hospital to remove a blood clot in his brain.

De Camilli has been visiting him ever since he was admitted, she said.

“He’s improved more than 100 percent,” De Camilli said. “He can play cards with me and remembers the times that we would hang out.”

At times, Justin’s short-term memory fails him, Glenda said, but it is something he probably will deal with for the rest of his life.

“There are times he doesn’t know what’s happening is real,” De Camilli said. “He’ll say, ‘Is this real … is this reality for me?’

“He’s just realizing that this is real. He knows he’s improving day to day.”

Although Justin has no memory of the accident, his therapists sometimes ask him if he knows why he’s there, Galligan said.

Periodically, he responds by saying he doesn’t know, while other times, he’ll say he got hurt playing football, Galligan said.

Glenda said visitors always are welcome to come see Justin, and Saturdays usually are a good time.

“It really is good for him to talk to people his age,” Glenda said. “Those are the people who will bring him back to where he was.”

Galligan agreed, and said Justin definitely enjoys the company.

“He works so hard every day,” Galligan said. “When someone is there to see it, he can shine in his moment.”

Glenda, who spends every day with her son, gives him a sense of determination, Galligan said.

“She’s in such good spirits,” Galligan said. “The two of them being together every day … they feed off each other’s energy.”

Justin’s spirits are amazing, De Camilli said.

“I think we all have to embrace his positive spirit with our own positive spirit,” Galligan said. “I know he’s going to beat this.”

De Camilli described Justin as someone who would give anyone the shirt off his back.

“He’s always someone I could talk to,” De Camilli said. “He has a dry sense of humor, but he’s funny as hell.”

The next goal, Glenda said, is to move Justin to the Courage Residence in Golden Valley, Minn., where he probably will start walking entirely on his own.

“I guess when the accident first happened, I was devastated,” Galligan said. “It makes you even more grateful for the things you have.

“I’m so happy that we can still be friends. It’s definitely an awakening as to how quickly life can change. I feel so lucky that Justin is in my life.”