Joseph

Age: 67

Location: Washington

Injury or relation: Spinal cord injury, T2 for 8 years

Hobbies/Interests: Listening to, playing and recording music, playing the piano, reading, being outdoors, spending time with family, cooking and going to concerts and movies

Why did you become a peer mentor? I became a peer mentor due to my own experiences.After enjoying an entire lifetime of being athletic and always on the move, I fell and injured myself at age 59. After I fell, I was so depressed that I felt that I would rather be dead than paralyzed. However, with time and hard work, that changed. Now, I measure my life based on what I still have instead of what I lost, and I want to help others who might be feeling depressed about their situation.