On September 29, 1995, I was involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in the crushing of my fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae in my neck leaving me paralyzed.  I was on my way to school when another motorist pulled out into the intersection striking my motorcycle; he admitted to not looking.  I was then taken to the Fort Campbell Hospital where  I was then transported by helicopter (life-flight) to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.  There I went through reconstructive surgery to repair my crushed vertebrae.  

          Many complications threatened my life while in intensive care, and at one point took my life for a time.  After surgery, I struggled with double pneumonia. I fought this for two weeks without the aid of machines and recovered from the pneumonia. From this, my body was to weak and "shut down" on me causing the doctors to put me on a respirator.  This delayed my transport to Shepard Spinal Center two days.  (the light I saw was real and magnificent) (note: I was clinically dead for 45 seconds.  To be clinically dead your heart must be non-functioning for 2.5 minutes give or take a few seconds)

          On October 12, three days after my seventeenth birthday, I was transferred to Shepard Spinal Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  There I went through intensive physical and occupational training.  With the help of my therapists, Rebecca and Kristen, I was taught ways to adapt to my condition.  At first, I was dependent on adaptive equipment to aid in my feeding, answering the phone, and all other activities of daily living.  Later, while still in the hospital but with great difficulty, I was able to feed myself without the use of an arm brace.  This was beyond what any Doctor said I would ever be able to do.  With the desire to never give up, I made further progress that would stun my Doctor's.  I began to feel my feet, and eventually most of my body.  Finally on December 19, 1995, I was released from Shepard and was able to return home.

          I am now able to move my toes and parts of my right foot.  I am able to move my arms with the exception of my triceps and my hands.  During the summer of 1997, I went to the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center in Smyrna for intensive therapy. The therapy was great, but the rest, well....  I am no longer using my electric chair and am in my manual chair full time.  

          I graduated from Northeast High School with distinguished honors, a goal I set when entering high school and re-set after my injury.  In the fall of 97, I entered Austin Peay State University.  There I became a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.  My first semester went very well, I came out on the dean's list.  

         I received my Bachelor of Arts with honors in Psychology (Summa Cum Laude) with a minor in Criminal Justice in July of 2001.  I also study shamanism; shamans are also known as medicine men, witch doctors, etc., depending on the culture.

    I am now attending Argosy University / Phoenix (Arizona School of Professional Psychology) working towards my Psychology Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

[Home]