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Florida man claims he was paralyzed following alleged sewage spill in Titusville

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Published  November 7, 2024 11:02pm EST
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Man says sewage spill led to his para

From paddleboarding to paralysis – that’s what happened to a 15-year-old boy in Titusville. The victim is 18 years old now and learning how to walk again. After almost three years of fighting, Rock Timmins and his family had just settled a lawsuit with the City of Titusville.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - From paddleboarding to paralysis – that’s what happened to a 15-year-old boy in Titusville.

The victim is 18 years old now and learning how to walk again. After almost three years of fighting, Rock Timmins and his family had just settled a lawsuit with the City of Titusville.

His attorneys claimed a sewage spill in the Indian River Lagoon changed his life forever.

A few days before Christmas back in 2020, Timmins went paddleboarding near Kennedy Point Park. A few days later, he was paralyzed. Doctors told his family bacteria from a sewage spill in the lagoon was to blame.

FOX 35’s Esther Bower met Timmins in Cocoa Village and quickly learned he doesn't take a single step for granted.

"You don’t really know what you have until it’s gone," said the 18-year-old. 

What's gone for him is the ability to run and walk without braces. He lost his ability to move his lower body four years ago, days after paddleboarding in the IRL.

He was 15 years old, and his whole life changed. 

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"Not only could I not move my legs at all at that point, when I would pinch my leg, I wouldn’t feel any pain," said Timmins. 

His legs went limp, and he was rushed to the hospital.

In the lawsuit his family filed, attorneys said his "treating physician informed him that this type of bacterial infection was likely caused by the sewage spill by the city of Titusville." 

He spent two months at Nemours Children's Hospital. He had chemotherapy, a blood transfusion and a spinal tap.

"They found the bacteria in my spinal cord fluid," recalled Timmins. 

The lawsuit also says the child had no idea when he was swimming the City of Titusville "had just spilled 7.2 million gallons of raw sewage into the Indian River Lagoon."

With a unanimous vote in September, the Titusville city council approved a $70,000 lawsuit settlement with the family.

Leaders also vowed to change course.

"We’ve got $40 million in infrastructure, and I agree. I’m so glad we’re moving forward, but I don’t think it can be said enough, this can’t happen again," said Titusville city mayor, Dan Diesel. 

Timmins hopes it never does.

"Justice in my case was served," he said. "I think especially with this interview and spreading the word about it."

The young man says he’s sharing his story to spread awareness about cleaning up the lagoon and making sure it's safe.

"The city of Titusville has a lot of work to do," he concluded.

In addition to settling the family’s lawsuit, the city was also fined $200,000 for the sewage spill by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. 

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