The Reverend Stephen Popovich is being described as upbeat and active as he continues to recover from a serious 2013 traffic crash. The beloved former Pastor of St. Paul's Church in New MIddletown is in assisted living and receiving rehabilitation therapy.

Father Steve hasn't lost his sense of humor. "I drink a lot of water. This isn't vodka," he said as he took a drink from a large water bottle in his room at Liberty Health. His room is decorated with photos, gifts and mementos from family and friends.

He talked about his on-going therapy since arriving at Liberty Health eight months ago.

"They still mark me down as an incomplete injury because the spinal cord was damaged but it wasn't severed," he said.

Initially paralyzed from the chest down, now he can feed himself and gradually has regained total feeling in his legs.

"So I think my progress has been positive." He has therapy twice a week and says his favorite device is a tilt table, which raises him up to about 70 degree incline to help his leg and core strength.

Since arriving at Liberty Health he also has started holding weekend services for the residents.

"We celebrate mass on Saturday at 4 p.m." he said.

He also started a garden, which he waters himself as another form of therapy.

"We call it the garden of hope."

Father Steve reads a lot and he's found inspiration in a book titled "No Storm Lasts Forever".  The author is Terry Gordon, a physician at Cleveland Clinic who has a son who was paralyzed by an injury.

"We know that beyond every storm there's the rainbow," said Father Steve.

He says it was difficult to have to give up his duties as Pastor at St. Paul's Church. The support he has received from church members, the diocese and the community has been overwhelming.

"I'd like to be able to give them a universal hug and tell them how much that means to me, every part and parcel of it,".

Father Steve says, as long as he's taking two steps forward and one step back, he's still going forward.