On October 26, 1996, I acquired a spinal cord injury by way of a gunshot wound; I am a man who uses a wheelchair, on a ventilator and paralyzed from the neck down. Contrary to labeling myself as a victim of violence, I confidently consider myself a survivor!

Since October 26, 1996, I have co-founded a nonprofit to support men in wheelchairs, served as an advocate and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Earning a bachelor degree from Maryville University in 2015 is one of my accomplishments that am most proud of. Despite the many challenges over the last 24+ years, I have set and managed to accomplish several long and short-term goals.

Another goal, which was equally as important as  earning my degree, was to acquire gainful employment. Today, l am a Digital Processing Administrator at Centene Corporation. My journey is a true testament of tremendous growth, perseverance and limitless aspirations as to what one can achieve with a solid support system.