Whats up everyone!! I just got back from speaking at Eastern Illinois University and had a great time. I am really proud of the feedback I received immediately following my presentation last night from the students. There were tears and hugs and most of thanks. I know that my presentation is getting through. The following is from The Daily Eastern News.


http://www.dennews.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=d6962514-9e7d-4698-ae8d-b9c923ce8243

Joe Rhea holds a model brain while speaking about preventative tramatic injuries in the Grand Ballroom of Martin Luther King Jr University Union Wednesday evening.
Rhea talks about drinking and driving
By: Ashley Mefford/Activities Reporter
Posted: 9/13/07Certain days will always bring back memories. For Joe Rhea, that day was Sept. 11, 1984. On that day, Rhea was paralyzed during a football accident. Rhea spoke in the Grand Ballroom of the Union on Wednesday night. Sometimes there are defining days for people and for Rhea Sept. 11 was defining for him. With Sept. 11, 2001, the idea of a defining day made even more sense. The fact that his accident happened on a Sept. 11 also tied into it. When an event like one of these happens, life takes on a different meaning then before. "There are life and death situations when life takes on a greater meaning, one can learn and grow from a catastrophe," Rhea said. Purpose is also given because of events such as these. "For 23 years after my accident, I had questions," Rhea said. For the most part, Rhea's main question was "Why did I have to break my neck?" Rhea began speaking with the foundation called Think First in 2001. The main purpose for Think First is to get prevention about drinking and driving out to the public. The age bracket of 16-25 years old is when people have the biggest chance of getting a brain or spinal cord injury. Car crashes are the place where injuries are most likely to happen.Too many people have a "not me syndrome," Rhea said. "This is why I do this - it happens everyday," he said. Throughout the presentation, Rhea gave multiple examples of college-age students who had gone through similar experiences as him. One such person was named Troy. Troy was an athlete and had a full ride to Texas Tech. His whole future changed in an instant when he was in a car accident resulting from alcohol. Troy stayed out until 2 a.m. after a party one night and ended up being thrown 25 feet into a creek. He broke his back and was in the creek for two days after his accident. "Often times we forget how our decisions affect our family," Rhea said.Troy had to hear his cell phone ring while he couldn't move after being thrown from the car. Currently, Troy still has to deal with the repercussions of his accident. He can't walk and uses a wheelchair. To help prevent stories such as Troy's, Rhea teaches a class called the Young Traffic Offenders in Kansas City. This class is six hours long and is a "physical journey," Rhea said. Rhea takes his students to the emergency room to see actual patients who have gone though drinking and driving accidents. Some of the patients the students see are in comas. The visits to the ER help the students see what one decision can do. Once students learn that they are not exempt from alcohol related incidents, the better off they are. "There are two types of people, those who get it and those who don't," Rhea said. Not paying attention is the number one cause of car crashes, not drinking and driving. Alcohol cuts reaction time down a fraction of a second. This is all the time that is needed for a life-changing event to happen. "Most people crash within five miles of their house," Rhea said.Rhea has been there when families have been waiting to see their loved ones who have been injured. "If you could see what I've seen, seen the tears in the mother's eyes, you would never drink," he said.Overcoming his paralysis made Rhea know that what you might be told at one point does not necessarily mean it is going to be like that forever. "If you want something bad enough, almost anything is possible," he said. Rhea ended the presentation with a quote from the movie Gladiator. "What we do in life echoes in eternity." "What is your echo going to be?" Rhea askedJessica Huffman, a sophomore physical education major, enjoyed Rhea's presentation. "I thought it was very good because sometimes people lose focus," Huffman said.University Members Against Drunk Driving sponsored the event, along with the athletics department. Micah Rucker, who started UMADD, said he did so in order to help prevent drinking and driving.
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