My Story – Antelope Hunt

By Chad Waligura

Well everybody has one. why not me? and since I’ve had to tell it about a million times over the past 17 years, I figure posting it may end up saving me some time.

“What happened?” Oh how many times I’ve heard that? in line at the grocery store, hanging out with friends at the mall, you get the picture. and what a simple little question too. one that I don’t mind at all sharing with other people. A word of advice first, just wait for the right moment before you casually ask me to relive the most traumatic event of my life.

On paper it looks pretty simple to me now, in ’86 I dove into a pool, hit the bottom and broke my neck right around C-6/7. I knew right away what had happened and what it meant so it was never difficult for me to accept. I was more shocked that it had happened to me when I was 17 and 10 feet tall and invinceable.

I also knew right off that I wasn’t ready for my life to be over just yet. Lucky for me, I had a lot of family and friends that felt the same way. And for a while all I had was hope that it wouldn’t be.

Sure sounds inspirational huh? But anyone who has lived through an sci injury can tell you there’s a lot more to it than that. So much that you couldn’t explain it to anyone who hasn’t walked it (so to speak). It’s no trip through the park. Never was since the second I was taken to the hospital, isn’t today and won’t be until I die or they finally figure out how to fix this thing.

“What happened?” I used to say that to myself a lot when I first got hurt. Actually, it was more like “I can’t believe this happened.” Especially during that first year. That’s the worst one to live through because you’re still thinking like an able-bodied person and living in a disabled body. And how long does it take to adjust…, well I’ll get back to you.

What I could do, and easily, is write an advice column. ‘How to live through sci – 10 easy steps’ (no pun intended) The best piece of advice Ii can give to anyone to start off is to get out and do stuff. It doesn’t matter what, doesn’t matter where, just get out and go. If you are a friend or family member of someone who is recently disabled, help them do it.

Figure out what is really important to you and figure out how to do it. I knew full well that i would have to give up some of the things i used to do. That comes with the territory. But not the ones that were at the top of my list. And by the grace of God there were things out there that I hadn’t thought of doing until years later.

Keep an open mind. The last freedom that anyone has is to choose their attitude in any given situation. I’ve come across a few obstacles since that hot afternoon in July of ’86, and I’ve found out that there are many different ways to get around them. It doesn’t matter what other people say, doctors, parents, friends, idiots on the street, there’s always a better way of doing something. Find it.

“What happened?” Well quite frankly, a lot has happened. If you are new to sci, then you’ll see. If I could give you one thing, it would be to know that there is life afterwards. More than you can ever imagine right now. And when life gets to be like “if it ain’t one thing, it’s another,” then hold on to that belief like grim death. If that doesn’t work, then hey, lighten up. It only feels like an eternity.

“When a person is made to suffer then he knows that he is alone in the world in his suffering” – Victor Frankl.

For more information check out Chad’s website here.