CRRRAAACK! That’s the last thing I heard just before my body went completely numb. “I broke my neck”, I yelled to the guys I was riding with. “I broke my neck!” I knew what had happened, but didn’t want to believe it. Todd arrived first and immediately stabilized my neck. Guy was right behind him and without hesitation, he began assuring me that everything was going to be “ok”. I saw the fear in their faces and I asked for Todd to pray. Todd prayed a soothing prayer and not long after I was put in a basket and pulled up a hill. I was in surgery less than three hours later. When the surgery was complete and I started to come out of it, I had one of those dreams where you wake up startled and then realize you were only dreaming (you know the one’s). I wasn’t dreaming. I felt immense pressure on my head and I was looking through two bars. The worst part, the bed was rolling back and forth (180 degrees) and the motion made me more nauseated than I had ever been before.

I had set out that December afternoon to cruise my mountain bike and get some quick exercise before church. Little did I know that within the next six hours I would hear a doctor say, “I’m sorry, but you have severely broken your neck at the fourth vertebrae and barring a miracle, you will never walk again.” I had a choice right there and then; get extremely depressed or face it head on and make the best of the situation. I chose the latter.

After nine months of therapy, a lot of support from friends and family, and many prayers, I am back up walking. Yes…walking. I still have a long ways to go, but please, no one wake me up from this dream.

I have cried many tears over the last nine months and most have been for others. There are so many that are suffering from spinal cord injury and terrible disabilities. It’s not that I feel sorry for those individuals, it’s more that I feel ashamed. I can’t help thinking “Why was I spared?” The only answer that I can live with is that I was spared the many trials so I can take what I have learned and try with all my heart to make a difference.

The answer was clear, give back what has been given to me. Hence, the establishment of Whitney Hope. Through motivational speaking, building camps for kids, and attempting to make life a little more comfortable for spinal cord injuries, we’re moving forward to make a difference. Mark Zier, a pastor from Ventura, CA, has decided to dedicate himself full time to this effort. John Matthews and Brian McNeill are giving a major portion of their time. In less than three months we have put together a non-profit organization with a selfless vision. We have already found a camp in Ventura completely handicap accessible. Now that’s a miracle!

We will be giving monthly updates providing you information and an opportunity to help. With all the things going on in the world right now, this is your chance to make some sense out of life’s many obstacles, and give to those less fortunate. Wait until you see the smiles and joy. You won’t want to miss it!

Dan