I refuse to allow a disability to determine how I live my life. There is only one way to go in life and that is forward.

Never accept ultimatums, conventional wisdom, or absolutes.

I am optimistic. But I also know that, with time, I'm beginning to fight issues of aging as well as long-term paralysis.

We all have many more abilities and internal resources than we know. My advice is that you don't need to break your neck to find out about them.

At some time, often when we least expect it, we all have to face overwhelming challenges. When the unthinkable happens, the lighthouse is hope. Once we find it, we must cling to it with absolute determination. When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may have never known- the power to make sacrifices, to endure, to heal, and to love. Once we choose hope, everything is possible.

I'm not living the life I thought I would lead, but it does have meaning, purpose. There is love... there is joy... there is laughter.

My father is an intellectual and physical man, which is a rather unusual combination. He's great. As he brought up me and my brothers and sisters, he ingrained in us that your appearance is not your responsibility, other than that you should not be a slob.