Unstoppable Spirit - SCI

 

Janine Shepard stated in her “A Broken Body Isn’t a Broken Person” Ted Talk, “My body may be limited, but my spirit is unstoppable.”. Janine Shepard was previously a cross country skier who was bound for the Olympics but was involved in an accident one night that changed her life completely. Janine was hit by a large utility truck and became paralyzed from the waist down with a L1, incomplete spinal cord injury.

Janine began to get depressed as she discovered how different and challenging her new lifestyle would be; however, this did not stop her from seeking out a new goal for herself. One day Janine saw a plane fly above her home, and this sparked a new interest for herself – if she couldn’t walk, she wanted to fly! At that moment, she called the flight school, signed up for class, and was as determined as ever. Hard work, grit, and perseverance were always at Janine’s core, and it paid off for her. Janine, in under 18 months, was able to obtain her private pilot’s license and start to walk with minimal assistance in order to pass her physical test. She then continued to become as educated in airplanes as she could and now is also a licensed commercial pilot. She is resilient!

After learning about Janine’s story, I always came back to her quote, and resonated with it. I learned that as a future Occupational Therapy practitioner, it will be so important to emphasize that our bodies are just vessels that contain our souls. We are capable of anything we desire to accomplish because our spirits have no limits. Our lives are moldable despite any physical limits we may approach. I have learned and encourage others to learn that we have the capability to introduce new hobbies, bring light to a situation, show different skills or habits that can change a human’s perspective on their life.

 

Shepherd, J. (2012, November 28). A broken body isn't a broken person [Video]. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/janine_shepherd_a_broken_body_isn_t_a_broken_person