Writer, advocate, and substance abuse survivor Jake Haendel has an estranged relationship with his ex-wife, Ellen, but she played a significant role in his recovery. Her constant care and affection towards Haendel got him to the position where he stands proudly today.
A native of Massachusetts, Jake Haendel started taking addictive substances in high school and hid his use from family and friends behind a friendly, fun-loving front. He mentioned that he hid his emotions behind partying and addiction.
At 25, Jake took up a job as a chef at a local country club and started struggling with withdrawal symptoms. Despite his worsening condition, he married his girlfriend, Ellen, in late 2016.
However, Ellen wasn’t fully aware of his addictive behavior and asked if Jake was using the substance at home. Jake lied to her face, and their relationship began to fall apart along with Jake’s mental and physical State.
A year later, his wife began noticing changes in speech and repeatedly asked, “What’s up with your voice?” Soon, Jake was detained by the authorities for possessing harmful substances in his car and using them while driving.
Moreover, Jake made bail but could hardly walk back home. In the following days, his condition began to worsen, and his wife called an ambulance to their home as she assumed he was having a deadly stroke.
Soon, he had trouble swallowing food, and his muscles grew weak, making the doctors transfer him to the neuroscience intensive care unit.
Despite Jake Haendel being bedridden, his wife didn’t leave his side, as she was the only one who understood his needs.
Jake Haedel fought for his life in a conscious state where he could neither speak nor direct movements!
The damage to Jake’s nerve cells in the brain was evident in ECG scans, and he struggled to live as he understood what was happening but couldn’t communicate. Doctors informed his family that Jake was expected to pass away within weeks of intensive care.
Further, he was moved back to his home, receiving oxygen and food via tubes, and he was constantly drenched in sweat and had bedsores. Regardless, Ellen covered him in quilts and administered routine medication and liquid food.
Throughout the condition, Jake felt that Ellen knew he was fully conscious and could look into his eyes and understand what he needed. In an interview with the Guardian, Jake described their connection as telepathic.
Additionally, his wife was protective at the time, preventing Jake from potential bad influences and instead allowing occasional visitors. Despite his helplessness and lack of physical communication, Ellen continued to serve Jake for years.
Fortunately, in 2018, Jake began to see a beacon of hope for his recovery as he gained limited control over his eye gaze. Slowly, he was able to move his wrist on command and used a device called MegaBee to communicate with Ellen.
Finally, he could say phrases like “I love you” and “Thank You” and constantly communicated his gratitude toward Ellen. However, she grew increasingly distant, and by the summer of 2019, she stopped visiting him at the hospital.
In an attempt to save his relationship, Jake organized a movie date, and the couple watched Breakthrough while holding hands. Ellen promised to keep in contact through video call but never spoke to Jake that day.
Since then, information about Ellen has been scarce, as she has maintained a private life away from Jake. Thus, it is difficult to ascertain her relationship status, career, and other family details.
Additional Information
- Jake Haendel has advocated for the Locked-in syndrome to raise awareness among people about the life-threatening consequences of substance abuse.
- The condition is rare, and estimates claim there are only a few thousand cases in the U.S.
- To regain mobility, Jae Haendel underwent several physiotherapy sessions at the Massachusetts hospital and shared his journey on social media. Jake also works to improve disability spaces in the State’s public areas.
