I want to to share an article written after my Western Illinois Presentation.

By Makato Yamagishi
Westerm Illinios University Courier
Issue date 2/24/06


Joe Rhea presented "Bars, Cars and Catastrophes" Wednesday night in the Western Illinois University Union Heritage Room. "One decision you make can change your life forever," Rhea said. The program emphasized the hazards for college-aged students of drinking and driving as well as the lifetime catastrophes, which can result from these preventable decisions. He added people between 16 and 25 years of age are most likely to be involved with drunken driving which can result in brain and spinal cord injuries. Rhea said he still asks himself why he has had to suffer this much even though he was not to blame."If three of 450 (people) said 'OK, I would never drink and drive again ever in my life,' I've done my job."Rhea said he hopes to give opportunities to think about treasuring individual lives and real stories of college athletes, whose lives changed dramatically because of one instance of driving under the influence. In his presentation, he disclosed his personal plight after he broke his neck and was left paralyzed from the neck down while playing football when he was 14 years old. His doctor said to be prepared to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Rhea said that day is a special day for him, his family, friends and the whole world to think about what life is. Rhea described his hardship to recover from his injury. "Every day of my life was as if I was running a marathon. That's how much my body goes through. It's fatigued, overstressed, overworked, it's weak, (because of the) spinal cord injury," Rhea said.Rhea expressed the indescribable and catastrophic feelings of not being able to use or feel his body from the neck down. He said the inability of doing ordinary things depressed him. It also changed his family's life. "I am a person (like everybody else)," Rhea added. "It took me a long time for me to realize that." People often come up to Rhea after hearing his story letting him know that he made a difference and because of him, I will wear my seatbelt for the rest of my life. "Indirectly I am probably saving lives. I may never know that. But, that's a cool feeling," Rhea said.

"First, my spinal cord allowed it (to recover tremendously from the injury). Secondary, a lot of willpower, belief in myself to prove my doctor wrong (made it possible for him)."Rhea also said his job is to give students first-hand experiences to let students know how instantly car accidents under the influence ruin someone's life. The program included a video, "It's My Life," which featured the graphic side of traffic accidents and personal interviews of college students whose lives totally changed because of DUI-related car accidents. "You do not just die in drunk driving crashes, you are killed violently and if you are able to escape death it is quite probable you will be tragically disabled for the remainder of your life," he said.Dan Vojta, senior marketing major and Student Athletic Advisory Committee president, said it was important to remind students what would happen to them unless they are careful. "It's not until tragedy like that happens you start respecting your own life," Vojta said.Rhea is an active speaker who resides in Kansas City, Mo. He has been the lead speaker for the Think First Foundation of Kansas City for the past six years, speaking more than 100 times per year to students in Kansas City. He uses his experience with overcoming quadriplegia to convey his story. Now he is able to walk, run, ski and golf.