Local equestrian Jan Bynny was practicing for the Olympic trials when a mistake on the second-to-last jump left Bynny on the ground with what she thought was simply a broken arm. Seven hours later, she couldn’t speak, and doctors realized that the fall had stretched Bynny’s neck at the carotid artery. The subsequent blood clots caused a stroke that affected her speech and movement on the right side of her body.

NBC4 featured Bynny back in the saddle, after she finished rehabilitation at MedStar NRH, with her physician, Alexander Dromerick, MD. Even with a grim prognosis, Bynny made incredible progress, even competing in the 2012 Olympic trials. Though she did not qualify for the Summer Games, Bynny said that she hopes to compete in the 2014 World Games and the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

“My hope for the future is to continue competing at the international level,” Bynny said. “I’m not done yet, I can tell you that.”

By: Abby James, Marketing Intern