It's the next step in recovery for the 42-year-old father of two and Tuesday's transfer to a rehabilitation facility is a major milestone. Stow's family has requested the name of the facility not be released just yet to give Stow time to get settled.
When Stow left the medical center in Los Angeles in May after being severely beaten outside Dodgers Stadium, he was comatose on a gurney with traumatic brain injury.
Leaving San Francisco General Hospital Tuesday, Stow is ready for rehab. His doctor says the Giants fan is breathing on his own, eating, interacting with his family, even talking and responding.
"Today I had a report back from the hospital and one of my colleagues who is there said when she mentioned my name, Bryan said, 'Tell him I said hello.' So that's a dramatic improvement from where he started to where he is today," Dr. Geoff Manley said.
Manley, a neurosurgeon, says it's been a roller coaster in terms of treatment. Stow had a piece of his skull removed, and was once on five anti-seizure medications. Manley says Stow has now begun to mobilize and though he isn't walking, the surgeon says he is starting to meet milestones.
"I think what this does is gives hope that some people can begin to do well; what he's going to do or where he's going to plateau we don't know yet," Manley said.
Manley says there are nearly 2 million Americans with a traumatic brain injury. He believes part of Stow's success was being treated at San Francisco General Hospital, which is the first hospital in the nation to receive special certification for its traumatic brain injury program.
