Andrew had just completed Iowa National Guard training in 2015 when his life began spiraling downward. On June 12, a night of drinking fueled Andrew’s depression and he jumped from a third story window.
The Ankeny, Iowa, native fractured his spine in the 35-foot fall, paralyzing him from the chest down. Doctors at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines informed Andrew he would never walk again. For the next five months, Andrew devoted himself to therapy and made remarkable progress at Madonna’s Lincoln Campus. When he first arrived, the young Iowan was weak, required two people for transfers and could only maneuver 75 feet in a manual wheelchair.
Andrew’s mom and brothers relocated to Lincoln and provided a significant source of optimism through his recovery. Andrew gradually came to terms with his injury as he healed physically and emotionally. Guided by his Madonna team, Andrew embraced every challenge. Major achievements, like becoming independent in transfers, confidence in using his wheelchair and public transportation, spurred Andrew on. Encouraged by his family and driven by determination, Andrew reclaimed his life.
Today, Andrew lives independently in his own apartment while balancing an active schedule. Andrew hosts his own YouTube channel offering frank advice for others living with a spinal cord injury. Volunteering as a mentor with the Nebraska National Guard Child and Youth robotics program is rewarding to the former soldier.
Andrew continues to challenge himself. He’s played on the Madonna Magic wheelchair basketball team, learned adaptive climbing and is studying engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In three years, Andrew has transformed his life from a near-fatal leap of desperation to making a difference in the lives of others in his community.
