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PDFAt the age of 12, Michael Johnson had already won numerous racing championships when an on-track motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. He stopped by TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital on July 14 at an event cosponsored by the Houston chapter of NSCIA to let others know that life in the fast lane doesn’t have to end because of a spinal cord injury.Michael is currently trying to race his way to becoming the first paralyzed driver to run the Indy 500.
“I’m really trying to inspire people that you can really have a great life even when something bad happens, just brush it off,” he told a local TV station. “There is a future ahead of you — embrace it.” Johnson gave the 150-plus in attendance a brief presentation and then showed off his race car and the hand controls that let him thrive. Rafferty Laredo, the chapter’s executive director, said everyone who attended the event left a member of the chapter, and cited it as a great opportunity to build awareness and educate people about the SCI cause.
