I just want to take a minute to share with you a little about one of our most amazing Team Reeve athletes, John Carson (pictured).

John sustained a spinal cord injury at the C5/6 level (most injuries at this level result in quadriplegia, lack of hand function) one year and seven months ago on July 16, 2009. He was out training for a triathlon on his bike and was hit by an SUV. In the moments after the accident, John was in and out of consciousness, not fully knowing what was happening, but he knew for sure his life would never be the same.

John's family immediately reached out to our Paralysis Resource Center for answers and resources. As an athlete, he and his family knew he needed something beyond regaining the ability to walk to motivate him each day in physical rehabilitation. He set his sights on the Ford Ironman Lake Placid on July 25, 2010 -- just over a year after his injury.

The thing that I want to share with you that I think is most amazing about John, and I felt it from the moment I first spoke with him on the phone, despite all he and his family have been through in the last year plus, it's always been about others. He asked me if he could wear the Reeve Foundation colors and Team Reeve logo to help spread awareness of the work we continue to do, now that our most recognizable leaders are gone. He set his fundraising goal and to date has raised over $10,000 to support our foundation programs. For Chistmas last year, he asked his friends and family to forego regular gifts and donate to his fundraising page instead.

John is truly all we can ask for in an athlete, a volunteer, and an advocate of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. I can't tell you the number of times I've used John as an example of what you can do when faced with adversity and I believe he is an inspiration and mentor to our entire community.

You can read more about John here.

Read more stories about our Team Reeve members.


Leigh A. Alspach
Manager, Team Reeve®

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