SPINALpedia Co-Founder Reflects on Injury Anniversary

15 years ago today I had my spinal cord injury. Every subsequent year since, I chose to CELEBRATE THIS DAY and to reflect on how far I’ve come. My journey is one that luckily I did not have to travel alone. It takes a team for a quadriplegic to live safely in the community and to go after his dreams. As many of you know, I love to WHEEL BIG and DREAM BIG!

My journey started with a loud cracking noise in my neck. I was 18 years old when a wave picked me up and slammed me headfirst against the ocean floor. I spent the next five weeks on a ventilator unable to breathe or speak on my own.

From day one “Team Josh” – family, friends, health care providers, strangers and spinal cord injury community members – came to the rescue and showed me that my future was full of HOPE and great things to come.

Over the past 15 years I am most proud of the following accomplishments:
– Starting a nonprofit (Determined2Heal.org)
– Becoming an uncle
– Forming the world’s largest paralysis video mentoring network (SPINALpedia.com)
– Personally mentoring over 1000+ families
– Graduating from college
– Graduating magna cum laude from law school
– Passing a bill through the Maryland legislature

Over the next 15 years I am most excited to conquer the following accomplishments:
– To change disability employment marital and income regulations in Maryland
– To marry the love of my life
– To become a father
– To change the employment narrative for persons with disabilities across the country

I am so grateful for a strong mind and a beautiful community that has never left my side. I could not have done this JOURNEY WITHOUT YOU and I’m so excited to continue this JOURNEY WITH YOU

If you have read this far, I would love for you to share something that you are grateful for in 2019 in the comment section below