Another Operation for Emily Bowman While Volunteers Renovate Home

The Woodstock young woman who suffered a debilitating brain injury from a hit-and-run accident continues to recover while dozens of volunteers are working overtime to make sure her home suits her needs. 

Emily Bowman, who is still hospitalized at Children's Health Care at Scottish Rite, had another surgery last week to tie off the shunt in her head. The neurosurgeon said Bowman "looks good so far," Bowman's mother Debbie Bowman wrote on the Bows for Bowman Facebook page. 

By tying off the shunt, Bowman said, doctors are trying to see if her daughter needs the device. Bowman said after the shunt was put in, her daughter hasn't been able to do some of the things she was doing before, such as writing on a dry-erase board, reaching for things or tracking movement with her eyes.

She also said her daughter seemed to sleep a lot more with the shunt in. 

After the surgery, Bowman's mother on Thursday said her daughter seems to be more alert during the day and "she will actually sometimes look at you when you talk to her."

She said doctors will continue monitoring her progress to determine what the next step is.  

"Keep up those prayers and I want to thank everyone so much for all the support," she said. "You don't know how much it means to us."

Roswell-based Sunshine on a Ranney Day and other volunteers are working to renovate the home of Neal Bowman so his daughter will have a place to stay once she's released from the hospital.

Volunteers are converting a den and dining room on the ground level of the family home into one large, wheelchair accessible room Bowman can use once she's discharged from the hospital.

A wheelchair accessible ramp will be built outside to allow Bowman to come inside the home. 

Ranney said they will also remove the carpet and put down laminate flooring so Bowman can move easily around the room. She also said designers will come in and paint the room to add a personalized touch for Bowman. 

An ADA-accessible shower will also be installed in a half-bathroom on the ground level and another room will be built for Bowman's mother Debbie Bowman to stay near her daughter. 

About 20 volunteers were at the home all day on Saturday, painting and doing other tasks needed to make Bowman's quarters as comfortable as possible. They included friends of Bowman and Kohl's employees from the company's store in Milton. 

Holly Ranney, co-founder of the organization, said they hope to have the renovations complete by next weekend.  

"We are being aggressive," she said, adding the installation of the ADA accessible shower could take a little longer. 

Local companies that have reached out to help the Bowmans include Woodstock Furniture Outlet, Mr. Plumber, Associated General Contractors of America and College Hunks Hauling Junk. 

Bowman, a former Kennesaw State University student and Woodstock High School graduate, was hospitalized in critical condition at Athens Regional Medical Center between Feb. 16 and March 8 when she was hit by a pick-up truck as she and a friend walked along Oak Street. 

They were walking on the grassy shoulder, Athens-Clarke County Police believe, when a Mazda pickup, driven by 22-year-old Wlliam Wilson Heaten, left the road and then hit Bowman from behind as he returned the vehicle to the road. He left the area and abandoned the truck, police believe.

Heaton surrendered himself to the Clarke County Sheriff's Office and has been charged with hit-and-run, driving under the influence, serious injury by vehicle, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, and open container. 

He was granted a $50,000 bond, and had to relinquish his driver’s license, abstain from drinking alcohol, remain under house arrest from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m., find a place in Athens-Clarke or Oconee county to live. He was also fitted with an ankle monitor. 

Heaton last month asked a Clarke County judge to allow him relocate to find a job, but a judge denied that request. 

After Bowman was released from the Athens hospital, she was initially moved to the Shepherd Center, but later discharged to give her more time to recover before taking on physical therapy. She was recently admitted to Children's where she has been for the last several weeks. 

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