Thomas’ Story.

If every person was to write their own story up to this point in their life, I believe it would be written about their values, decisions, and goals. Every change, whether driven by good or bad fortune, ends one chapter in life and begins a new one. I am fully aware that the ending of this book results from the individual’s response to these changes.

My story begins with dreams of becoming a professional hockey player. Admittedly, my mother and father planted the seeds for this dream by teaching me to skate when I was four years old on a local pond. My first opportunity to skate with a team arrived at the age of six. I knew that I was in the right place the moment that my skates touched the ice. The next years included youth hockey, high school hockey, and then Junior A hockey after graduating from prep school. My goal was to play at the collegiate level and then professionally. Then, “bad fortune” struck.

On August 2, 2008, when rushing for an opposing player who had a breakaway, I caught him at the last second, but my skates caught the helmet of my goalie as he came out to play the puck, and I was sent in the air headfirst into the boards.

After being released from Spaulding Rehabilitation, I arrived at the Shaughnessy Kaplan Rehabilitation Center in Salem, Massachusetts. I had an amazing therapist at Shaughnessy Kaplan. Her husband was involved in a spinal cord accident so she was very in-tune with everything that I was going through. Unfortunately, Shaughnessy’s facility is in no position to offer spinal cord therapy treatments for people who are severely injured. After I had spent three weeks in the programs, my therapist called my mother and warned her that if I did not seek alternative treatment, that I would undoubtedly be in a wheelchair within two years. Doctors commonly agree that a spinal cord patient’s first six months of rehabilitation are crucial because of the swelling. By working to reduce swelling in the first six months, the chances for recovery are greatly increased. My family and I knew we had to act fast. I had a doctor’s appointment the following week and we were eager to hear what he had to say.

This appointment is unforgettable. I had one of the leading spinal-cord doctors from Beth Israel Hospital look into my parents and my eyes and tell us that within two next years, I would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life. We left his office before he started another sentence. It was now a frantic hunt for someone who had a connection to a specialized spinal-cord treatment center. My prayers were answered in a matter of two weeks. My “good fortune” was the response from my family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins. My parents’ constant lessons for my brother and me were that the vehicle for the highest quality of life was a commitment, diligence, and avoiding procrastination. My parents and brother responded to my accidents by immediately revealing all those qualities. Their support and encouragement gave me the strength and motivation to cleanse myself of the pending self-pity and to resume my fight for success, although in a much different arena. Then, my uncle rose to the challenge and through a friend connected me to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Center. No medical center offering this center’s specialized treatment for patients like myself existed in New England. In fact, the local doctors already discussed with my family and me my preparation for life in a wheelchair.

My intense therapy sessions lasted three to four hours and were followed by the hour drive back to Delray Beach. Once I returned, I performed a 2-hour aquatic therapy routine, and then went to the local Gold’s Gym for two more hours to work on my balance and strength. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. But, because of this rigorous routine, I was able to regain my walking, limbs, and movement.