Tyler

In 2008, I was a business major at Stephen F. Austin College. As a weekend warrior, I would go out with friends to a motocross racing. One weekend, I decided to go out just one more time. I came up short, and went over my handle bars landing on my head. Next thing I knew, I had been airlifted to Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler with a damaged spinal cord. 

During my rehabilitation, the first time they put me in a wheelchair was the hardest for me. Just sitting there when I had been so active. It was just not right. I shouldn’t be there. Simple tasks seemed impossible. I had to start over like a baby. Basically, my rehabilitation consisted of how to “live in a wheelchair.”

Then I went home, and it was also hard. My family home—like most homes—is not set up for wheelchair accessibility. I became very frustrated and depressed. There were times when I just did not want to get out of bed. Then I realized that if I didn’t try, I would not get anywhere. Improvement was not going to be handed to me.

I started searching on the web and found a YouTube video of Keith-Ann walking at Project Walk®. Six months after my accident, I was in California to do the trial week . A month later, Keith-Ann brought Project Walk-Austin as a certified Project Walk® facility . I have been going there ever since. When I started, my core wasn’t’ very strong. I couldn’t even drive myself, but with my core strengthening workouts, I now have my own truck and driving is no longer an issue.

I work out three times a week with Project Walk-Austin Spinal Cord Injury Specialists and another four workouts by myself. Project Walk-Austin is located in the South Congress Athletic Club (SCAC) which is a gym for all types of “able bodied” people. That gives me access to other trainers. For instance, rolling a wheelchair builds up one set of muscles. I am working with one of the SCAC trainers who helps me with upper body strength and posture to build up my back muscles.

I’m still researching on the latest therapies and treatments for SCI. In January 2010, I went to Germany for stem cell therapy, in which bone marrow is taken from the hip and injected into the spinal cord to help repair the damage. Since returning, my Project Walk-Austin SCI trainers and I have noticed some impressive changes. My core is stronger. Before the therapy, I was able to crawl with the help of a trainer. Now I can crawl 3-5 ft. without any help. That is huge.

My biggest hope is to walk again, but there is really no way to know what will happen. My philosophy is that if I can get an inch, I’m going to take a mile.