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My name is Shane Agnew. I suffered a spinal cord injury at c-1 after a motorbike accident exactly a week after my 20th birthday, which has made me a ventilated quadriplegic.
The loss of physical integrity causes profound emotional upheavals in the person with spinal cord injury. After the shock, becoming aware of the condition requires going through the process of mourning, an emotional journey that must gradually lead to acceptance of a body that has become different; to regain self-confidence — a situation I was confronted with for months.
My accident was in 2005 and although the only part of my body I can move is my face, I am still learning and experiencing new things every day. I feel life is good, and I mean it whenever I say so.
Thanks to the relentless support from my parents, friends and loved ones, life is once again great and I look forward to my future! I often feel the situation could have been worse. Maybe I could have suffered brain damage or even died in the accident. It’s another reason why I am excited about life.
I understand that everyone experiences shock differently, depending on the severity of motor loss, personality, and life course. Hence the inspiration for this website:
So I can send people here when they ask me about my accident, and hopefully to inform and help other people who may be dealing directly or indirectly with a spinal cord injury.
You will notice that I have put in some work into making this website both informative and encouraging. Because I want my visitors and friends online to know that anyone can still look forward to a promising future and have new dreams even after a spinal cord injury.
I also want to reach out to someone out there, or as many as would come in contact with my website particularly those who may be feeling depressed or out of touch with themselves or a loved one who may have found themself in this condition:
Suddenly finding yourself or a loved one a para or quadriplegic after an accident causes terrible shock, which seems to turn your life upside down. The loss is akin to the death of a loved one.
This, notwithstanding, I want you to cheer up, knowing that all is not completely lost. And that there is still so much to be happy about, and grateful for.
As you read through the pages of this website, I hope that you’d draw courage and strength from my personal experiences as well as other educative content that I have shared.
And, if, perhaps, you are wondering how I came about naming this website. The famous Superman actor, Christopher Reeves experience was the inspiration. He also broke his neck and ended up ventilated like me. However, my spinal break was above his hence the “HIGHER THAN SUPERMAN”.
I still live life as if my accident never happened. Of course, I don’t go out as much but I make up for it when I do… So much to tell you about me. You may want to check my About Me page, and other pages of this website to learn more about me… I look forward to engaging with you, as you share your experiences or thoughts with me, as well. Cheers!!
Thank You.
