Jaynell Graham
Managing Editor

Neal Rehberg came to Pocahontas County several years ago as one of the first two certified ski patrolmen for Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Rehberg has been in West Virginia since 1974 and has lived in Renick since 1997.
He had been "out of school for 15 years" when he returned to the classroom in 1990 at the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg.

Following an internship and residency at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and a four-year stint at the Raleigh General Emergency Room, Rehberg worked as a physician for the Bureau of Prisons. And now he is back.ﾠ Back to Pocahontas County at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, not as ski patrol but as Dr. Rehberg,ﾠ Family Practice Physician.

This is not his first round at the facility. He worked at PMH for a short time in the mid 90s.

"I'm back to my original plan - to come back to Pocahontas County," Rehberg said.

As a result of his years at Snowshoe, he is quick to recognize the family names in this county, and he knows the ups and downs of life here.

Rehberg was at Snowshoe on November 4, 1985, and he, along with the rest of the populace, has stories and memories of that night of destructive flooding that changed the landscape and the lives of too many people.

Rehberg has spent the last few years in southern Randolph, Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties and refers to the road that has taken him to his work as "Interstate 219."

That "Interstate" will now take him to PMH where he has joined the staff as a full-time physician, providing care to hospital, clinic and ER patients.

He and his wife, Patricia, will continue to live in Renick with their three Great Pyrenees and an assortment of strays totaling seven - "eight, counting me," Rehberg said, offering a glimpse into his sense of humor.

As PMH works toward staffing its own physicians, Dr. Luke McElwain, of Bolair, has come on board, as well.
McElwain is no stranger to Pocahontas County. He has relatives in the area who encouraged him to become a part of the PMH family.

He is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan, and a 2006 graduate of the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg.
McElwain received his training in Wheeling, before joining the staff at Webster County Memorial Hospital as a full-time physician.

He and his wife, Vonda, have four children, Luke, Andrew, Emily and Jennifer.

McElwain will work part-time at PMH, taking on shifts to ensure 24/7 coverage at this facility.

Jaynell Graham may be contacted at jsgraham@pocahontastimes.com