Success Stories

Select a story below

• United States Air Force Veteran, Laura Nimz

• Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, Andrew Pike

• U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Tai Cleveland

United States Air Force Veteran, Laura Nimz

Laura Nimz suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI) during a severe storm in 1993. Her car was lifted off the road and slammed into a power pole resulting in a T-12 injury and leaving her paralyzed from the knees down. "One minute I was worrying about aging, and the next I was worrying about surviving, living," she says. Laura was 29 years old at the time of the accident and had a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. One of her first thoughts after her injury was, "how am I going to be a mother in a wheelchair? No one taught me how to do that."

With no VA spinal cord injury (SCI) center in Florida, Laura spent 40 days at Halifax Hospital in Daytona before being transferred to St. Louis. She was expected to undergo six months of rehabilitation therapy, but she finished her rehab in 90 days. "I had to go home to my daughter, I had to get better, and I had to keep pushing."

While in the St. Louis SCI center, Laura was introduced to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. "I was sitting in my wheelchair when a fellow member of Paralyzed Veterans asked me if I knew about the organization; I said no," she recalls. "He told me all about PVA and what they do for veterans; so I joined the Central Florida Chapter."

Laura immediately became involved with the inner workings of the organization. "I went from being an invited guest, to a volunteer, a board member, a vice president, president and, finally, national director." While serving as the first female president of a chapter, she advocated heavily for an SCI center at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa and for an 18-bed SCI long-term-care unit at the VA nursing home in Orlando.

"Paralyzed Veterans is a tremendous asset, especially for someone with a new injury," she says. "It helps them out, get them involved. We let them know they can network with people who are in the same boat, who know what they're going through—and who can show them what is possible after injury."

At this time, Laura is taking a break from her duties at the chapter and is preparing for stem cell replacement therapy. By the summer of 2010, she will have traveled to Lima, Peru to participate in a stem cell program. "I hope to provide some data for the doctors to help with research; hopefully, it will work."

Laura enlisted in the U.S. Air Force upon graduating high school in 1982. She was assigned as an F-15/16 jet mechanic with the "Thunderbirds" aerial stunt team. "I was excited to be a jet engine mechanic and overjoyed about the idea of going overseas." She attained the rank of tech sergeant before leaving the service.

Following her injury, she earned associate of science degree from Daytona Beach Community College in 1997.

A volunteer with the local Pop Warner football league, Laura has instructed more than 50 girls in cheerleading. In addition, she was selected Ms. Florida Wheelchair in 2000.

Laura is currently residing in Ormand Beach, FL.

Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran, Andrew Pike

Andrew Pike knew what he wanted to do after high school: serve his country. So he enlisted in the Army immediately after graduation. Soon after, he was a U.S. Army Specialist with the 82nd Airborne Division and was deployed to Iraq.

He had been in Iraq only eight months into his first tour when one day, during a routine patrol in Baji, a sniper's bullet pierced his abdomen, kidney and part of his intestines, and caused spinal cord damage at the 10th thoracic vertebra. Andrew was instantly paralyzed; he was only 19 years old.

While recovering from his injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, two important events occurred. Andrew received a Purple Heart, presented by Sen. Larry Craig. And he was introduced to the Paralyzed Veterans of America when a national service officer began helping him obtain his VA benefits.

Getting those benefits as soon as possible was of utmost importance. After being injured, Andrew had received some good news: his wife was pregnant. Recuperating faster than expected, he wanted to build a wheelchair accessible house for his family. "My first contact with Paralyzed Veterans was in Walter Reed," Andrew said. "PVA helped me apply for grants for special adaptive housing and vocational rehabilitation."

Thanks to Paralyzed Veterans of America's help, as well as friends, family and the community, Andrew and his family now have an accessible home, which allows Andrew's wheelchair access to every room, including access to his baby daughter's room.

"PVA did a fantastic job making sure I got my benefits in a timely basis so that I can just spend time with my wife and child and move on with our lives just as anyone in my age group would do," he said.

U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Tai Cleveland

In August 2003, Tai Cleveland's life was altered substantially. "Before my accident I was very athletic, enjoying all physical activities. Every day I ran 8 to 10 miles, played basketball, lifted weights—anything physical, I was involved in it," he said.

While participating in a hand-to-hand combat training course in Kuwait, Tai was flipped onto his back, injuring his head and multiple vertebrae. As a result, Tai is paraplegic from spinal cord injury at the T6-T11 levels. He suffers from chronic neuropathic pain, spasticity, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Tai did not immediately go into rehab; he was told that he would regain the ability to walk. "Initially I was told that I would walk again in two weeks, and for over a year I charted and anticipated walking again," he said.

But when that did not happen, Tai became disheartened and began to experience depression. His wife, Robin, wanted to help ease him out of his funk, and she began researching programs and organizations that could help him.

In 2004 she contacted Paralyzed Veterans of America and requested information about membership and benefits. Tai became a member of the Virginia Mid-Atlantic chapter and began to learn how Paralyzed Veterans was able to help him.

Aside from helping him file for and receive housing and auto grants, Tai was able to regain a part of his life—athletics. "It took a while, but my first activity was billiards with PVA. In between surgeries and rehab, eventually I learned to waterski, went to and medaled at the Wheelchair Games, and then fishing," he said.

Robin continued to encourage Tai to participate in other activities he was interested in. He was reluctant at first but finally took part in the PVA Bass Tour. "Bass fishing offers so many intangibles. I think that if newcomers would just open up their mind to the possibilities, they will be amazed," Tai said. "Bass fishing teaches you how to be patient and how to relax. It offers amazing friendship and fellowship. It is a sport that offers all the same rewards as the other visibly physical sports and has the added benefit of allowing time for reflection."

Tai is always eager to join the bass tours and looks forward to the fishing season. He said that there is a great balance to be experienced between the serenity and calmness and the adrenaline rush of pulling in that catch that is just unmatched. His bass fishing experience has added greater meaning and an ever-richer dimension to his life.

Despite his injury, Tai has been able to move beyond the depression and embark on new possibilities of career options. In 2008, accompanied by his daughter Rudi, he participated in a 10-week training program that would help land him a job in the film industry. During this program Tai learned the ins and outs of the industry and how to digitally edit film. He considers the film industry "a way for me to take back as head of the household with a career that I can do from a wheelchair." In the future he plans to put a production studio in his home and work on a business plan.

Tai joined the U.S. Marine Corps in August of 1983 on the delayed entry program and served as a gunnery sergeant until he was medically retired in January 2007. Currently, Tai and Robin reside in Montclair, VA.