SIU surgeon helps motocross rider rebound

Spring break fractures didn’t break spirit 

Max Miller, 14, has had his share of great rides on his motorcycle. A skilled motocross rider, he has the trophies to show for it. In 2024 he was the points leader for his age division. 

As riders roar across a course, the mix of acceleration and adrenaline can be exhilarating. “It’s crazy on a dirt bike,” Max said. “Soaring through the air, anything can happen.”

On a spring afternoon in March, something truly unexpected happened. 

Max and a friend were hanging out on familiar terrain, riding their bikes around Rochester, a Springfield suburb of about 3,700. 

Max remembers things were normal until he hit a small hill, “and I went way farther than I should have. I was really up in the air.” 

Upon landing, he met a tree. The impact shattered both his arms and legs. 

Dazed and sore, he told his friend to call home for help. Looking at his bike and his limbs, he knew it was serious.

“I've had a lot of other accidents, but this one was different,” he said “The pain was bad—like an 11.”

Hospital déjà vu

Max’s parents, Jon and Morgan Hanson, were juggling duties that day. Morgan was at Springfield Memorial Hospital with her youngest daughter, Maebrie, who had just gotten a tonsillectomy. The surgery had been scheduled to take advantage of the school break. Stepdad Jon was at home with her older sister, Marlie, when his phone rang. 

Looking back, Morgan recalled the week began with Marlie breaking her finger. “It was as if the kids were one-upping each other,” she said.

Jon arrived quickly on the scene, gathered up Max and his bike, and drove west to Memorial Hospital. Morgan brought Maebrie home to a sitter, and then turned around and headed right back to the hospital’s Emergency Department.  

In the ER, the extent of the teen’s injuries was apparent. It would require a special surgeon to reset some of Max’s most serious fractures. A call went out. 

Within the hour, Max and the Hansons met Dr. Shawn Duxbury, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon with SIU Medicine. 

Worn down from their whirlwind day spent at the hospital with two children, the Hansons found Duxbury’s calm, confident demeanor reassuring. “He wasn’t the least bit stressed about it,” Morgan said. “You could tell he knew what he was doing and what needed doing. He said he was going to take good care of Max.” The family began to feel the clouds parting, revealing the path that lie ahead. 

Four casts for a spell

The multiple surgeries went smoothly. Max was hospitalized for a total of four days. 

Each morning, Dr. Duxbury was one of his first visitors, monitoring his health and attitude, and outlining what was coming next.

“He was always there with his coffee, checking in,” Morgan said. “Every appointment, he was advocating for him, telling Max to stay positive.” 

The surgeon’s care extended into recovery. He encouraged Max to move at his own pace and, in consultation with the family, believed he was most likely to thrive at home. Duxbury lobbied for an early release from the hospital. 

“He was right,” Morgan said. “We’re grateful he showed trust in us.”

Max found returning to school to be difficult at first. Encased in four casts, with limited mobility, he needed to have his wheelchair pushed through the hallways. Most tasks beyond reading, writing and typing required assistance. 

Knowing this, Duxbury got the teen out of his arm casts and into splints at the earliest safest opportunity. 

“Patients need to be active participants in their recovery from accidents like this. Max has natural, youthful energy and motivation,” said Duxbury. “I just showed him how to channel it.” 

As Max’s range of motion improved, his attitude brightened even further. He moved from leg casts to walking boots and a wheelchair for six weeks, then graduated to a walker.

During the next phase of rehab, SIU Medicine fitted Max with leg braces. At the appointment, Dr. Duxbury offered his literal support. Morgan watched as the physician told Max, “Hang onto me—let’s go!” With his hands on Duxbury’s shoulders, the pair strolled off across the floor.

Strengthening for the future

Looking back, Morgan was impressed with Max’s taking the “stay positive”-message to heart. Despite his predicament, her son bore his numerous difficulties in good spirits. 

As the accident recedes on the calendar and in memory, Max is doing well. He is able to walk and swim with no discomfort. In his freshman year at Rochester High School, he has been weight-training to get in shape for sports and is back on his bike, eager to return to motocross competitions. 

With newfound strength and stamina, the young man has also gained confidence from knowing what he has overcome—with some help from Dr. Shawn Duxbury.

“He helped me get through my surgeries and being in the hospital. He’s really showed me how to push through,” Max said.