Jesse Lieberman Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

C5 ASIA B, February 2003

Jesse fell 3 stories from his balcony while helping a neighbor one floor below who was locked out of her condo. At that time, he was a third-year medical student at Wake Forest who recently became engaged to his soulmate Michelle. Rather than discouraging and diverting him from his dreams, Jesse graduated from medical school on time, and married Michelle later that week.
He is currently a third-year resident in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Carolina's Rehabilitation, where he did his rehab after his injury.
As a C5 tetraplegic, Jesse has faced many challenges in medical school and throughout residency. He requires assistance to do his job. At home, he also relies on Michelle and others for most of his activities of daily living. He hopes for a cure for SCI so he can be independent while taking care of patients as well as at home. To read more about Jesse or to see him on the Today show, visit WWW.thehealingfundforJesse.org