Heartbreaking update on man who was left with locked-in syndrome after going to chiropractor for neck adjustment

The family of a man who was left suffering from locked-in syndrome have issued a heartbreaking update.

Jonathan Buckelew, 43, visited a chiropractor back in October 2015 and underwent a neck adjustment.

According to Atlanta News First (ANF) Buckelew became dizzy, disoriented and unresponsive, in what his lawyer later called a 'completely unavoidable' incident.

Due to a series of delays by medical professionals, he was left with the rare condition which meant he was conscious, but unable to move or communicate verbally, apart from using his eyes.

Tragically, his family has shared an update revealing Buckelew sadly died on January 21, 2026.

His loved ones shared an obituary to him: "Jonathan had many passions, one was cooking, and decided to take a season to explore Vail, Colorado and was enrolled in Colorado Mountain College Culinary School. While there, he worked at a restaurant on top of Vail Mountain and skied the slopes at closing."

Jonathan Buckelew was left with 'locked-in' syndrome following the failure of doctors to recognise he had a stroke (Facebook/Janice Buckelew)

"This was a great season for him to explore many of his passions."

"Jonathan had many passions but loved skiing, both water and snow as well as Ice Hockey, soccer and baseball."

They added: "Jonathan is survived by Brittany Nicole Buckelew, Michael Christopher Buckelew, and his parents, Janice and Jack Buckelew."

Buckelew had been awarded $75 million following the 'completely avoidable' incident

His lawyer, Lloyd Bell, explained: "Jonathan was having a stroke when he came to the hospital, and they missed it. The people who were responsible for reading the radiographs misread it.

"The ER doctor saw this patient was having all these signs and symptoms of stroke and never called a stroke alert, and they had policies in place that they were supposed to follow certain protocols to reach the correct diagnosis, and they didn't follow their policies and procedures."

He was rushed to North Fulton Hospital, where tragically every doctor and physician he saw failed to realise Buckelew was having a stroke.

Bell added: "This case is heartbreaking because Jonathan’s paralysis and brain damage were completely avoidable."

He had been described as being incredibly fit and healthy prior to the incident (Atlanta News First)

“If the slew of healthcare providers involved in Jonathan’s care would have acted according to the standard of care, caught and treated his stroke earlier, and communicated more effectively, Jonathan’s life would look entirely different.”

Buckelew and his family sued the chiropractor, the hospital, family GP Dr. Matthew Womack, radiologist James Waldschmidt and neurologist Christopher Nickum.

A jury at a Fulton County state court ruled that Womack and Waldschmidt had been 'grossly negligent'.

Following the verdict, his father, Jack Buckelew, said at the time: "I really feel like there's no real justice for somebody who lost every aspect of his life,"

Womack appealed the court ruling, and took the appeal to Georgia's Supreme Court.

In March 2025, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the award.

Waldschmidt also filed an appeal but later withdrew it.

LADbible contacted Tenet Health, which owns the hospital where Jonathan was treated, for comment.