By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
For Francesco Clark, life was exactly as it should be. Then his chin hit the bottom of the pool.
He was paralyzed from his neck down and was told he would never breathe again without a ventilator nor would he be able to move from his bed.
Clark tells his inspiring story about the accident that so dramatically changed his life, and the business that got him back on his feet again, in his recently released book “Walking Papers.”
In the forward written by Alexandra Reeve Givens, daughter of Superman Christopher Reeve, Alexandra notes that her father once wrote that “hope is like a lighthouse.” She adds, “Like a lighthouse, I hope Francesco’s story will serve as a guide to anyone feeling lost and in need of hope.”
What caught my attention the most were Francesco’s comments about expectations, empowerment and love.
One of the lessons he says that he learned as he has worked to recover from the spinal cord injury sustained in the accident is that we should not base our expectations, hopes and dreams on what others expect. He stresses that “we need to go beyond our preconceived notions of what is possible, if we want to move ahead.”
He expresses his frustrations with health care professionals who seemed to just be going through the motions because they didn’t really believe the patients could get any better and about Christopher Reeve being accused of “being in denial” and giving people “false hope.”
In contrast, he cites the empowerment he felt at a rehabilitation center in Detroit that was proactive. The atmosphere was positive and stimulating. The therapists were so enthusiastic.
He also talks about the amazing love of his family. His mother’s rebuttal to his concerns about the impact that he was having on the quality of her life is powerful. She reminded him that “you are a gift to us just like your brother and your sister” and that her duties as a mother were “not a burden.”
If you have not already picked up and read “Walking Papers,” the book is a great read. If you have, please share your comments.
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