Granted,Istillcouldnottalk,myentirerightsidewasparalyzedandmanypeoplethoughtIcouldnotunderstand,butatleastIwasstable.AfteroneweekinaprivateroomthedoctorsfeltIhadimprovedenoughtobetransferredbyjetambulancetoDelOro1RehabilitationHospitalinHouston.
My1hallucinations,coupledwithmyphysicalproblems,mademy1prognosisstillverybleak.However,astimepassedmymindbegantoclearandapproximatelysixweekslatermyrightlegbegantomoveeversoslightly.WithinsevenweeksmyrightarmslowlybegantomoveandateightweeksIutteredmyfirstfewwords.
Myspeechwasextremelydifficultandslowinthebeginning,butatleastitwasabeginning.IwasstartingtolookforwardtoeachnewdaytoseehowfarIwouldprogress.ButjustasIthoughtmylifewasfinallylookingbrighterIwastestedbythehospitaleuropsychologist.SheexplainedtomethatjudgingfrommytestresultsshebelievedthatIshouldnotfocusonreturningtocollegebutthatitwouldbebettertosetmore"realisticgoals."
UponhearingherevaluationIbecamefuriousforIthought,"WhoisshetotellmewhatIcanorcannotdo.Shedoesnotevenknowme.Iamaverydeterminedandstubbornperson！"IbelieveitwasatthatverymomentthatIdecidedIwouldsomehow,somedayreturntocollege.
IttookmealongtimeandalotofhardworkbutIfinallyreturnedtotheUniversityofTexasinthefallof1983-ayearandahalfafteralmostdying.ThenextfewyearsinAustinwereverydifficultforme,butItrulybelievethatinordertoseebeautyinlifeyouhavetoexperiencesomeunpleasantness.MaybeIhaveexperiencedtoomuchunpleasantness,butIbelieveinlivingeachdaytothefullest,anddoingtheverybestIcan.
Andeachnewdaywasverybusyandveryfull,forbesidesattendingclassesattheUniversityIunderwenttherapythreetofivedayseachweekatBrackenridgeHospital.IfthiswerenotenoughIflewtoHoustoneveryotherweekendtoworkwithTomWilliams,atrainerandexecutivewhohadworkedformanycollegesandprofessionalteamsandalsohadhelpedmanyinjuredathletes,suchasEarlCampbellandEricDickerson.ThroughTomIlearned:"Nothingisimpossibleandnever,nevergiveuporquit."
Early,duringmytherapy,myfatherkeptrepeatingtomeoneofhisfavoritesayings.Ihaverepeateditalmosteverydaysincebeinghurt:"Milebymileit'satrial;yardbyyardit'shard;butinchbyinchit'sacinch."
Ithoughtofthosewords,andIthoughtofTom,myfamilyandSharonwhobelievedsostronglyinmeasIclimbedthestepstoreceivemydiplomafromtheDeanofLiberalArtsattheUniversityofTexasonthatbrightsunnyafternooninJuneof1986.ExcitementandpridefilledmyheartasIheardthedeanannouncethatIhadgraduatedwith"highesthonors",beenelectedtoPhiBetaKappa,andbeenchosenasoneof12Dean'sDistinguishedGraduatesoutof1600intheCollegeofLiberalArts.
TheoverwhelmingemotionsandfeelingsthatIexperiencedatthatverymoment,whenmostoftheaudiencegavemeastanding1ovation,Ifeltwouldneveragainbematchedinmylife-notevenwhenIgraduatedwithamastersdegreeinsocialworkandnotevenwhenIbecameemployedfulltimeattheTexasPainandStressCenter.ButIwaswrong！
OnMay24,1987,IrealizedthatnothingcouldevermatchthejoyIfeltasSharonandIweremarried.Sharon,myhighschoolsweetheartofnineyears,hadalwaysstoodbyme,throughgoodandbadtimes.Tome,Sharonismymiracle,mydiamondinaworldfilledwithproblems,hurt,andpain.ItwasSharonwhodroppedoutofschoolwhenIwashurtsothatshecouldconstantlybeatmyside.Sheneverwaveredorgaveuponme.
Itwasherfaithandlovethatpulledmethroughsomanydarkdays.Whileothernineteenyearoldgirlsweregoingtopartiesandenjoyinglife,Sharondevotedherlifetomyrecovery.That,tome,isthetruedefinitionoflove.
AfterourbeautifulweddingIcontinuedworkingparttimeatthePainCenterandcompletedmyworkforamastersdegree.Wewereextremelyhappy,butevenhappierwhenwelearnedSharonwaspregnant.
OnJuly11,1990at12:15a.m.Sharonwokemewiththenews:"Weneedtogotothehospital…mywaterjustbroke."Icouldn'thelpbutthinkhowironicitwasthatmylifealmostendedinaconveniencestoreandnowonthedate"7-11"wewereabouttobringanewlifeintothisworld.ThistimeitwasmyturntohelpSharonasshehadhelpedmeoverthosepastyears.
Shewasinlaborfor15hours.At3:10p.m.SharonandIexperiencedthebirthofourbeautifuldaughter,ShawnElyseSegal！
Tearsofjoyandhappinesscametomyeyesasourhealthy,alert,wonderfuldaughterenteredthisworld.Weanxiouslycountedher10fingersandher10toesandwatchedherwideeyestakeintheworldabouther.Itwastrulyabeautifulpicturethatwas1etchedinmymindforeverasshelieinhermother'swaitingarms,justminutesafterherbirth.AtthatmomentIthankedGodforblessinguswiththegreatestmiracleofall-ShawnElyseSegal.
我從未覺得自己與眾不同，但人們常對我說：「你的生命是個奇跡。」對我而言，我只是一個普通人，有著現實的目標和遠大的理想。我曾是德克薩斯大學一名十九歲的大學生，在通向理想之路上信步前行，夢想有一天我會成為一名整形外科醫生。
1981年2月17日的晚上，我和交往三年的女友沙倫在為有機化學測試做準備。因為太晚了，沙倫叫我駕車把她送回宿舍。我們鑽進汽車，誰能想到在今後的生命中我不能再如此矯健地重複這樣一個簡單的動作。我很快發現油表空了，於是我把車泊在附近的一家便利店旁，想買兩塊錢的汽油。「我兩分鐘就回來。」我關上車門朝沙倫喊到。但就是這短短的兩分鐘改變了我一生的命運，永遠地改變了。
進入這家便利店就如同踏上了陰陽間的奈何橋，門外的我還是個健康的，活蹦亂跳的未婚大學生，而門內的我卻成了暴力犯罪的又一個犧牲品。我還以為店裡沒有人，但我突然發現我錯了——有三個匪徒正在打劫這家店，而我的進入讓他們有些驚慌失措。其中一個匪徒迅速掏出一把口徑為38毫米的手槍用力指著我的頭，勒令我走到冷凍機旁，然後把我推倒在地，像執行死刑般從後面朝我頭部開了一槍。他沒再朝我開第二槍，顯然他以為我死了。打劫完後三個劫匪逃之夭夭。