Peter

Age: 65

Location: Ohio

Injury or relation: Spinal cord injury, C4, C5 for 15 years

Hobbies/Interests: Motorcycling, kayaking, advocating for paralysis research with the Cure Advocacy Network

Why did you become a peer mentor? After ten years adapting to a new career after my accident, I decided it was time to give back to the SCI community and try to help other SCI patients and their families by sharing my experiences. I remember the impact of leaving a rehab hospital with excellent 24/7 nursing care and fantastic therapists to go home and be alone for 9 hours a day as my wife was working. That’s when the reality of my “new normal” really struck home and there was no one to turn to. I decided that mentors could really help fill the void and I became a mentor with the Reeve Foundation.I also mentor at Ohio State University Hospital.