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Luis Jovel Jr. was too busy stretching and challenging his muscles Friday to think about it being the third anniversary of the car crash that left him paralyzed.

On April 29, 2008, Luis was struck by a Montgomery County police patrol car driven by off-duty Officer Jason R. Cokinos as Luis attempted to cross the street in front of his house in the 22800 block of Stringtown Road in Clarksburg.

Cokinos paid a fine for speeding.

Luis, 15, is a freshman at Clarksburg High School taking honors classes. An aide takes notes for him in school and helps him through the hallways, but Luis wants to make clear that he does his own work. Geometry is his hardest class and he's running a B average, he said.

Luis has little strength in his hands. A hard plastic attachment that looks like a finger allows him to type on a computer. He speaks in short phrases that are loud and clear.

During spring break and all last week, Luis was a patient at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. He and his family have been working since the crash to strengthen the muscles in his growing body in the hope that he will eventually walk again. Luis returns to Kennedy Krieger twice a year for intensive in-patient physical and occupational therapy.

His mother, Norma Jovel, was by his side as he went through the therapies.

"They're training me to do everything, all his daily routines," she said.

Norma Jovel has devoted her life to her youngest son's needs since the crash. She wakes him before 6 a.m. to get him ready for school, drives him to school and picks him up at the end of the day. While Luis is in school, Norma Jovel cleans houses.

"Life is harder now," she said. "I don't complain. I just do the best for Luis, for my son. With all my heart I do what I can for him. I do his therapies with all my love."

After school, when Luis does not have a doctor's or therapist's appointment, they go home and Norma Jovel puts Luis through hours of physical therapy and stretching.

They use a ramp outside the split-level house to move Luis from the main floor to the basement, which has been fitted with exercise equipment.

Luis ends his workouts on a special bicycle, alternating days when he pedals with his arms and legs.

Norma Jovel pushed Luis' wheelchair up to the bicycle Monday, attached electrodes to his back to stimulate his legs and strapped his feet onto the pedals. After an hour of pedaling, he had to start his homework.

Luis last saw his rehabilitation doctor in February, said Luis Jovel Sr.

"They're optimistic he can get more recovery," he said.

Luis suffered spinal cord and brain injuries and is a quadriplegic.

An interdisciplinary team believes that with the right combination of therapies, recovery is always possible, even many months or years after an injury, said Jennifer Burke, communications coordinator at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

"The center's therapy programs follow techniques that have shown great promise in helping individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries recover sensation, movement and independence, as well as achieve improved health and quality of life," she said.

Luis Jovel Sr. is a manager at the McDonald's in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Medical insurance has paid for most of the medical bills, but the 15 percent copayments are a strain on the family. Insurance has so far paid more than $2 million for his son's care, Luis Jovel Sr. said.

Norma Jovel said moving to a more handicap-friendly house is not an option because the money they owe for medical bills has ruined their credit.

The family settled a lawsuit against Cokinos and the county for $400,000 — the maximum damage award possible. Montgomery County and its employees are limited in liability by the Local Government Tort Claims Act of 1987.

The Jovels do not qualify for state assistance.

Before the crash, Luis played football for the Damascus Sports Association. Now he loves watching football, baseball and basketball on TV.

He is the statistician for the Clarksburg High School basketball team and can be found on the sidelines during home games.

Luis's sister, Cendy Jovel, 19, is home from college for the summer and helps out when she can, Norma Jovel said. An older brother, Juan Jovel, 25, has moved back home.

Juan Jovel is an aide for County Councilman George Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park.

The brothers like arguing about sports and watching games together on TV.

"He's my sports nemesis — whatever team I like he hates," Juan Jovel said.

ssingerbart@gazette.net

ssingerbart@gazette.net

To help

A fund has been established in Luis Jovel Jr.'s name through the National Transplant Assistance Fund to help with expenses associated with his injuries.

Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to NTAF Mid Atlantic Spinal Cord Injury Fund, NTAF, 150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Suite F-120, Radnor, PA 19087. Write "In honor of Luis Jovel" on the memo line.