evidence: Becoming paralyzed has been the biggest obstacle I have ever had to overcome. However, as the great Winston Churchill once said, "‘The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity, but the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." Every day I live my life as an optimist, recognizing that I have been given a great opportunity to do extraordinary things in my life and to help others. [...] Having a disability has made me a stronger and more compassionate person. Increasing disability awareness is very important to me. A person should never be afraid to pursue what they truly desire in life, no matter how great the obstacles may seem. [...] Every day I look forward to the challenges and opportunities life presents. I realize there is no point in looking back at the past and wondering what life would be like if this had not happened. Every day I appreciate the life that I have. Paralympic rugby player Dean Maccabe said it best, "I don’t think about what happened to me, I only concentrate on what I can make happen."