Being paralyzed living and with a spinal cord injury isn't something I would have ever predicted for my life. Well, I don't guess anyone one could predict that. I had a successful career with many achievements under my belt feeling like I was on top of the world. I just wouldn't have imagined something like this happening to me in the prime of my life. Being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life as a tetraplegic / quadriplegic? No this can't be happening to me I thought, but it did happen. Now here I am living with paralysis.
"So how did I get here?"
I was the middle child of three boys. You know what people say about the middle child. Often feeling overshadowed and overlooked. I felt like like my oldest, and youngest brother’s where favored over me.
I didn’t really like school. If a particular subject didn’t interest me, I just wouldn’t force myself to study. I made it through Elementary, and Junior High School alright, but when I got to the 10th grade I began to struggle.
The following year, after my 10th grade disaster, it seemed as though one of my teacher’s took an extra interest in me, and began mentoring me. After that I started to come around. He was able to motivate me, and gave me extreme confidence in myself. From that point forward, I became truly interested in learning, and a good student. Even in the subjects that I didn’t really like. I owe him a huge debt of gratitude.
"Thank you Mr Esseff!"
After High School I spent about a year working, taking accounting at the local Vocational Technical School, and trying to figure out what to choose as a career path.
That’s when I decided the Army was the way to go. Yeah, that’s it, I’d have medical coverage, college benefits, and a steady income. After all, a couple of my friends, Randy, and Mark had joined, and they seemed to be doing well. My thought process was, I can do a few years in the military, earn some college money, and decide on a career while I’m at it.
After my initial Basic Training, and Advanced Individual Training I attended Airborne (Jump) School. Afterwards, I was assigned to an artillery battalion at my permanent duty station on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There I began working, and taking correspondence courses in my spare time.
Before I knew it, my first hitch was up. Yeah, three years had gone by in a flash it seemed. I liked the Army, and I had already made the rank of sergeant too. Jumping out of airplanes was rather exciting as well. So I decided I’d re-enlist. I figured since my first enlistment went so quickly, and I was advancing quite rapidly I decided I’d re-enlist. Yeah, I decided to stay for another three years. That's when I began going to college in my spare time at night. Ultimately I went on to become a Chief Warrant Office Two, and spend just shy of 15 years in military service.
Then suddenly it happened. I was driving on a narrow rural road, traveling at about 60 MPH going into a curve, when my right side wheels went off of the road on to the shoulder.
"On that day back in 1990, my life was changed forever!"
Instead of slowing down, and easing it back onto the road gently, I didn’t. I tried to quickly get back on the road. It was then, the rear end began to slide around, and across the road. Spinning backwards, I hit the ditch on the other side, and the car began flipping length wise. I’m told I was ejected from the car, and my body slammed into a brick sign. I don’t remember that. On that day back in 1990, my life was changed forever.
I had broken my neck at the cervical 6 level completely severing my spinal cord. Leaving me paralyzed from the chest downward, and no dexterity in my hands. From that point forward I would be forever relegated to life in a wheelchair.
Now fast forward to today. Here I am living with a spinal cord injury almost 28 years later. Still living by the Grace of God, and living one of the best lives I could of ever imagined. Happily married to one of the most beautiful women in the world, and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Life is good!
Now it’s not to say there weren’t challenges, there were. Living with a spinal cord injury poses many. Staying positive, and moving forward one day at a time seems to be the right prescription for me.
I will continue moving forward with the most optimism possible. I hope along the way I’m able to help as many people in a similar predicament as I can.
Sincerely,
James
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