The day before the 2010 Super Bowl, I was in Miami Beach with my family. We were at the shore when one of my cousins challenged me to dive into the water. I was familiar with the coastal waters, but I misjudged the depth and crashed against the sand. I snapped my neck and damaged the C5 and C6 vertebrae in my spine. I survived thanks to the rescue efforts of my cousin, who pulled me from the water.
Emergency personnel rushed me to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami to undergo emergency spinal fusion surgery. I didn't know what was happening other than that I was paralyzed from the chest down and on a ventilator. After surgery I started intensive rehabilitation at the hospital.
The program required three to six months of intense treatment, but my health insurance company covered only 20 days. I soon learned that even with employer-sponsored health insurance, insurance companies rarely cover enough time for people requiring long-term rehabilitation.
While I worked to rebuild strength and mobility in my arms and hands, I was deteriorating emotionally. I was depressed and felt hopeless. For almost a year, I lived at my parents' house and didn't go out or see anyone because I was embarrassed about being in a wheelchair. I even contemplated suicide.
My family was extremely worried. My mom suggested that our family establish a foundation to help others with spinal cord injuries. At first I wanted nothing to do with it. That didn't deter my mother, who started Walking with Anthony. The foundation provides financial assistance through grants, fundraisers, and donations for rehabilitation after spinal cord injury and raises awareness about the challenges of living with paralysis.
The charity ended up saving my life. I met people who could relate to what I was going through. That helped shift my attitude. My depression lifted, and I felt more in control of my life. Seeing how much Walking with Anthony has helped others in their recovery has been powerful and meaningful for me.
As the foundation has grown, so have I. Through Facebook, I got in touch with an old high school classmate, and we started dating. In 2017 we married, and in March 2023 we welcomed a daughter.
I'm thankful for the physical and emotional strength I've gained. In my work with the foundation, I try to remind people and demonstrate through my own life how to celebrate progress and little victories along the way each and every day. —As told to Paul Wynn
