How a freak accident in 2016 left me paralyzed.
When I was 22, right after graduating from Texas A&M, I was working at a summer camp in the Pocono Mountains. On our first day off, a group of us went to a man-made lake in upstate New York.
We all ran into the water. We werenât drunk or doing anything stupid. I didnât even dive headfirst. I just ran into the water and swam underwater for a few seconds. At some point, I got hit on the left side of my head. My C4 and C5 vertebrae popped out of place, and I woke up face-down in the water. I tried to move, but nothing happened. Immediately, I knew I was paralyzed.
I held my breath, hoping someone would pull me out. No one did. After about 10â15 seconds, I couldnât hold it anymore and thought, âWhatever happens, happens.â Thatâs when I took a big sip of waterâŠ
Eventually, my friends noticed something was wrong and reached out to pull me out of the water. I was in and out of consciousness for about an hour â waking up on the beach, in an ambulance, in a helicopter, and finally in the hospital, just before learning I was about to go into emergency surgery. I even cracked jokes to calm the people around me. Thatâs just how I cope.
The surgery went well, but the weeks â and years â that followed were brutal. I was in a lot of pain. Nerve pain, to be precise, and for those of you whoâve experienced that kind of pain, you know how unbearable it is. Not to mention the emotional pain that came with grieving the loss of my mobility and learning how to live life as a quadriplegic.
Now, reading this might make you feel sad. But donât.
My accident was the best thing that ever happened to me. It saved me. I often joke (sort of) that the life path I was on would have either killed me or landed me in jail. I wasnât being a good man or making smart life choices.
Becoming paralyzed forced me to confront myself, my choices, and reflect on the kind of man I truly wanted to become. Even more importantly, my accident allowed me to deepen my relationship with God â and through that, He shaped me into the man I am today.
For that, I am forever grateful.
I truly love my life. Iâm blessed with the most incredible family and friends, and now, thanks to Neuralink, Iâve found renewed hope and purpose in helping others discover this life-changing technology that has helped redefine my human potential.