When Northshore chef and restaurateur Sal Impastato fell 14 feet from a balcony, he feared he would never walk again. An iconic figure in the community, Sal has spent more than 50 years living his childhood dream — owning and operating Sal and Judy’s Restaurant in Lacombe. But one day, that dream came crashing down with him.
“I thought I was gonna be paralyzed,” Sal said.
Witnesses to the accident weren’t sure he would survive.
“I broke four ribs, broke my back in four different places — I couldn’t move,” he explained.
Emergency responders rushed him to a local hospital, where he met AVALA Spine’s Dr. Justin Owen, a highly trained neurosurgeon who performed the surgery that changed everything.
Sal says Dr. Owen’s expertise — and his bedside manner — made all the difference.
“I asked him all kinds of questions. At the end, he said I’d be better — that I’d walk and do anything I wanted. And he was right.”
After about five weeks of recovery and rehabilitation, Sal was back doing what he loved most.
“He told me, ‘Don’t worry about it — do anything you want.’ So, I did.”
A year later, Sal feels better than ever.
“I’m 100 percent good. I do anything I want, like I used to. It’s great. I never thought I’d be great again. I came in this morning, started making tomato sauce, cut meat — I work all day, don’t even need a nap. I feel good.”
If you or a loved one is suffering from a neck or back injury — or living with chronic pain — our spine specialists are here to help you get back to enjoying life without limits. Schedule an appointment using the form below or call 985-400-5778.
