Matt Lexow The Dalles, Oregon

C5/6 complete severe, July 1990

I was 30 years old when I fell 6' onto my head into a couple feet of water and broke my neck. I was married, with 3 beautiful baby daughters, 10 months thru 3 years old. Within a year my wife had gone...she couldn't handle marriage to a man that lives in a wheelchair.

I had a career in the Army '77-90 and was retired immediately. I loved my job and I loved my family. Losing both was like losing life itself.

I've seen my daughters rarely these past 17 years. My hopes of showing them the beauty of nature and life, walking them down the aisle at their weddings have become long-lost dreams.

The impact of Spinal Cord Injury reaches the highest level of society. The money spent maintaining spinal cord injured persons is staggering, and statistically bound to skyrocket. I firmly believe that a CURE is possible, and should be pursued by any means possible. To continue to ignore this injury, and the possibility of its CURE is criminal in my eyes.