Sleepwalking with Angels: Tyler Caputo's Story of Hope

Early in the morning on November 18, 2012, Tyler Caputo woke up outside in the courtyard of his friend’s dorm at the University of Michigan. He was wearing a V-neck shirt and athletic shorts. The overnight temperature had dipped to 28 degrees.

Tyler was visiting one of his best friends from high school over the weekend. The 18-year-olds had tailgated and gone to the football game with their fathers the day before. Later that night, the friends went out.

Tyler didn’t know how he had gotten outside or how long he had been there. He couldn’t move his legs.

He crawled to the nearest door and caught the attention of a couple students who brought him inside and back up to his friend’s room.

By noon that day, Tyler was in surgery at University of Michigan Hospital. He had broken ankles and ribs, bruised lungs, and three fractured vertebrae in his lower back – a devastating thoracic lumbar injury.

Doctors stabilized the ankles with external fixators. They stabilized his spine with metal bars during fusion spine surgery.

Tyler was paralyzed from the waist down. Surgeons said he would never walk again.

At some point overnight, Tyler had fallen out of the dorm room window, down four stories –47 feet– and landed feet first. Toxicology results had showed no alcohol or any other substance in his system. The best explanation was that he had been sleepwalking.

Initially, he couldn’t sit up without falling over or move his legs. Within a couple of weeks, he was transferring with assistance from bed to his wheelchair and back.

Tyler’s orthopedic surgeons told him his chances of walking again within 12-18 months were very good.

After going home in early January, Tyler started working with Steve Deuley, a home care physical therapist and Becca’s dad. The next six weeks were filled with hour-long sessions, twice a day, every day. The focus was on upper body strength and mobility, starting with wheelchair exercises. For core muscle work, Tyler crawled on the floor wearing kneepads.

With a limited number of outpatient therapy visits covered by insurance, Steve wanted to get Tyler in shape.

In early March, Tyler started outpatient PT at MetroHealth with therapists Deanna Bouman, Darcy Kosmerl and Mandy Simmons.

Wearing walking boots, Tyler practiced balance at the parallel bars. Gradually he began taking a few steps.

Dr. Moore removed some of the hardware around Tyler’s spine. His mobility improved, as did lingering back and leg pain.

“[MetroHealth] will always be a top choice for me after the wonderful care I received over the years.”

A few weeks later, Tyler took Becca to her prom. “It was a great chance for me to get out and feel normal.”

Over Memorial Day weekend, dozens of people joined Tyler’s “Sleepwalking with Angels” team at the annual Blossom Time Run in Chagrin Falls. He managed to cover about 100 yards with his walker.

Tyler’s last day of outpatient therapy was August 16, 2013. While mostly using his wheelchair, he was starting to get used to progressing with forearm crutches. He could cross the street in 20 seconds and walk 500 yards without stopping.

The following week, he resumed his college studies. Instead of returning to Ohio University, he transferred to Ohio State University, where Becca was a freshman and where other friends went.

The OSU landscape was flatter; it was easier for Tyler to walk with his crutches when he wasn’t using the paratransit system.

Surgery at MetroHealth over winter break removed more hardware from Tyler’s ankles.

As the years went on, Tyler dropped by to say hello to his therapists when he was at MetroHealth for doctor’s appointments. He progressed from forearm crutches to using two canes.

In early 2018, after finishing his degree in operations management, Tyler relocated temporarily to Virginia, an 8-hour drive away, for his first full-time position with Nestlé.

Becca had graduated from OSU in May 2017 with a degree in public health. She worked in community outreach for a local hospital system for a year, then completed a three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

“Seeing the progress people can make, it really solidified why I wanted to do rehab,” Becca said. “I loved seeing Tyler at MetroHealth and what MetroHealth stands for.” She told Deanna that she wanted to work there one day.

Becca and Tyler married in September 2022. The MetroHealth therapists watched as Tyler walked down the aisle without his cane and later danced with Becca at the reception.

Today, Becca works at MetroHealth with patients recovering from serious orthopedic and neurological conditions. Tyler also started a new job in 2024, at a wealth management company.

The Caputos live in Lakewood with 7-year-old Ella, a rescue dog Becca helped pick out when Tyler lived in Virginia. They travel and hang out with friends and family often.

Tyler wears braces on both legs and adds a cane for longer walks. Daily reminders of his injury include arthritis, residual lower back pain and foot numbness.

“What gave me hope was that my family and friends didn’t let me think that there was any option other than getting through this,” he said. “Prior to my injury, I was not very familiar with MetroHealth. I am now one of their biggest advocates. They will always be a top choice for me after the wonderful care I received over the years.”

MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute are leaders in rehabilitation, research, and education to improve care for the most complex injuries and illnesses. Visit their website for more information about the MetroHealth Rehabilitation Institute or call to learn more:

• Outpatient appointments for adults and children, call 216-778-4414

• Inpatient services or admission for adults and children 13 yrs+, call 216-778-4167

Do you want to help patients like Tyler? The MetroHealth Foundation is making a difference every day. Learn more or give today.