The “Prone Ranger”

After suffering a tragic gym accident as a student, James Boen '53 maintained a letter-perfect attitude.

JAMES BOEN LIVED A SUCCESSFUL AND INTERESTING LIFE BY ANYONE'S STANDARDS. He was married to his wife, Dorothy, for 50 years, and together they adopted two children. As a distinguished professor of biostatistics at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (after completing his A.B. in 1956, then an M.S. and Ph.D.) he published more than 80 papers, wrote two books and served as associate dean. He was a big-game hunter, weightlifting coach and travel enthusiast. And before he died last December at age 75 he was one of the country's oldest quadriplegics.

On October 16,1951, Boen was practicing gymnastics in the Dartmouth gym when he lost his grip on the high bar and broke his neck. He spent the rest of his life virtually paralyzed from the neck down, with only limited movement in his arms. Rather than dwell on his physical limitations, Boen, a vibrant man with seemingly unbounded optimism, remained positive. He wrote a series of letters to his family (including his father, "E.R.") during the subsequent months he spent in Hanover. In them he reflected on his struggle to maintain hope about rehabilitation while coming to terms with the permanence of his situation. Amid updates about his condition, Boen's good nature and sense of humor shine through—for example, he signed his letters with nicknames such as "Itchy," "Fruit of the Month" and "the Prone Ranger." (Boen eventually transferred to a rehabilitation center in Madison, Wisconsin, about 100 miles from his parents' home in Appleton.) Here are some excerpts from his letters.

Jan. 30, 1952

Dear Folks,

I'm afraid not much has happened to-day—the tongs are still in and all is running along smoothly. The catheter had to be changed this morning but I don't mind it any more at all.

When you called me last night, I felt you got the impression that I was giving up the fight, which is just the opposite of the truth. I only wanted to let you know that it might take a long time and that it won't do any good to be impatient. I know how anxious you are for my recovery, Dad, and I feel that you get more frustrated at the slowness of the whole thing than I do. As for now, however, you may rest assured that your mental torment is greater than mine.

Keep at those weights, E.R., and I will write tomorrow.

Jan. 31

I talked with Dr. Fisher about the final re- sult, and the cards got laid out on the table. He said that my condition at the end of two years is quite likely to be permanent and that I will be doing well to develop any sort of walk. Full recovery isn't likely but there is still a chance for it. I'm still not discouraged or depressed. Maybe I'm not smart enough to feel sorry for myself as yet, but I don't see what good it would do.

Feb. 1

Dr. Fisher feels that the sensory nerves are well on the way to recovery but the motor nerves are still in question. Dr. Anderson thinks I could learn to walk via braces and crutches even if I recovered no more than I have now. So little is known about it that the only course of action is to give it an all-out effort for at least five years. I saw tonight that my broken neck made the Dartmouth Quarterly newspaper. Yeah!

Feb. 4

I may as well answer those questions that Dr. Bowman suggested I consider [about continuing this recovery in a rehabilitation center], 1) It wouldn't make any difference to me how close I would be to home. 2) Having people see me incapacitated wouldn't bother me. Even if it did I had better get used to it. 3) As of now I wouldn't be particularly interested in taking courses other than those at Dartmouth. The only real question left, according to your letter, is that of finance. How do the various places compare on that?

Feb. 6

Old [Dartmouth President] John Sloan Dickey '29 came in today and gave me his personal copy to read of Northwest Passage. I'd better start reading it so I can discuss it with him in a couple of weeks. He even offered to come in and read to me.

Feb. 8

I am now on page 123 of Northwest Passage and I must say it is interesting. I guess John Sloan knows how to pick them. I think I'll read a lot of books when I get into rehabilitation. Speaking of rehabilitation, you pick the place. Madison is perfectly all right with me if you think it has the stuff.

Feb. 10

The boys were up tonight telling me their Carnival woes. This Carnival was the wildest we've ever had and I'm afraid it will give us a bad reputation. Out of all the guys picked up by the cops for excessive intoxication and street fighting not one was from Dartmouth. No good is going to come of this Carnival because it is too big and commercialized.

Feb. 15

[My friend] Nancy Raymond isn't going to say a word to me tomorrow and there is a little wager on the contest. If I lose she gets to cut my hair, which nauseated her violently. If I win, however, she has to sit on top of the center campus statue for two hours and sing a vile song I've given her. I'll give you the results tomorrow.

In case Madison is the best bet but isn't ready when I am, would you suggest that I go to Rochester until it is?

E.R., keep hitting those weights.

Feb. 16

The important thing to me is to get out of here and get going on rehabilitation. Madison, or wherever I go, is going to do me a lot more good than staying here. I know how impatient you are for me to get well, Dad, but certain things can be rushed and others can't. It is pretty sure that my hands are going to come back as with the bowels and bladder. To me it isn't so important to worry about things that are certain or pretty sure. It is the uncertainty of the motor nerves in the legs that should receive first consideration, as far as I can see. To walk is the important thing.

Nancy won the bet today so she, [friends] Confair and Yee all cut my hair. It is much shorter than it was but I still have the most hideous haircut on campus. As a passing thought, try to find out just when Madison will be ready and just what I would do in case I were ready before then.

Feb. 17

Hanover is finally getting its winter snow. It has been coming down all day with at least eight inches so far. I suppose the Carnival officials are thinking the weatherman does this just to tease them.

Feb. 20

They are going to take X-rays tomorrow to see if I am ready to get into a bed and there is a pretty good chance that I will.

Last night I decided that I am going to recover. I've done enough haggling and hacking around as to my final outcome so it's about time I set the goal and start off for it.

Feb. 21

Have you ever heard people talk about an amputated foot itching? Well, I feel like I can move all my limbs when I try to but they really don't move. It is especially true of my little finger, because when I try to wiggle it with my eyes closed I would swear it moves.

Feb. 23

I just read your article, Mother, about the man who refused to die. Now that I'm on the inside I can see that the attitude taken by such people doesn't require as much bravery as people are inclined to think. The only real pains are torments of the mind, and what is called "the right attitude" is the only recourse. Unless a crippled person wants to live by himself in seclusion he can't afford to be bitter.

Feb. 24

No word on the results of the X-rays today. I know it is hard for you to see things delayed but may as well get used to thinking in terms of weeks and months instead of days.

I was tickled to death to find that I can tie and untie loose knots in a rope- I was greatly pleased to have my feet hurt. You wouldn't think you could enjoy something painful so I still maintain that mental joys and pains are much greater than physical.

Feb. 29

Tomorrow I get into the sack! Russell was going to put me into bed Saturday but at the nurses request he's going to do it a day earlier.

Mar. 2

They tossed me into the sack at 4 p.m. on Friday with a crew of eight. The bed sure felt big and soft when I hit it and I knew all was going to be well.

Mar. 3

I'm beat! They gave me a bar over my bed today, and using it was a small workout. I could lift my back, head and shoulders a little way off the bed with the use of it.

Mar. 4

Things have been going great guns today. Yesterday I could only lift myself a couple of inches off the bed by chinning but this morning I found I could pull myself at least a couple of feet.

Mar. 6

Russell came in this afternoon with the brace-maker and they sat me right up straight for the last fitting of the brace.

My strength is gaining rapidly every day and the legs are tingling quite a bit, especially at the knees. I have noticed, however, that my right triceps have suf- fered quite a setback in strength these few days. It is a key muscle and I am very anxious to get it strong.

Mar. 7

I sat up with a brace on today and dangled my feet over the side of the bed. To make the day even more exciting, I was rolled over on my face for a close study of my bed. After observing the bed sheet from a distance of one millimeter, I decided to turn my head so I could breathe.

[The doctors] are in a big confab as to when I should be moved. My guess is that it might be a couple of weeks but that is as near as I can say.

Mar. 8

I got up in a wheelchair today and streaked up and down the corridors for seven minutes. They were going to horse around and get me up slowly but I sat up straight without strain. Dr. Anderson expected me to boot and pass out but I had to disappoint him.

Mar. 11

It looks as though things are brewing for my departure from Hanover about the end of next week. After this weekend [the doctors] have no objection to my leaving.

The better off I think I am, so much better are the results. I thought I was too tired to get up today for the second time but [my nurse] wouldn't hear of it. So they threw me into the wheelchair and I had a great time.

Mar. 13

Dr. Russell came in and took my brace away to be remade. He said that the back was made out of such springy metal that it couldn't be adjusted properly, and he wants it done right.

Keep working on the trip for as early a date as possible, since I don't think they have any reason for keeping me here after I get my brace back.

Mar. 15

I brushed my teeth for the first time tonight. I was sitting up; the only thing I couldn't do was get the cap on and off the tube, and I didn't spill too much of it.

I'll be glad to get out to Madison, where I can do more things for myself. I believe I can do a lot more than I think.

"To me it isn't so importantto worry about things thatare certain or pretty sure."

CAROLYN KYLSTRAIS a DAM intern. Tolearn more about James Boen's life, click onwww.jimboen.com