I Still Believe in Tomorrow: 40 Years of Living with a Spinal Cord Injury

In 1971, high school junior and sports enthusiast Mike Patrick's life took a devastating turn during his first varsity football game when a tackle gone wrong broke his neck. "I Still Believe in Tomorrow" is Mike's heart-stirring narration of that life-altering event, its impact on his town, and his courageous medical battles and victories thereafter. Accompanied with a timeline and photos, his conversational style not only shares his journey but also explores the profound effects our actions can have on others' lives, underscoring the importance of kindness and resilience in facing life's unforeseeable challenges.

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About the Author: Mike Patrick
This is an excerpt from a Minneapolis StarTribune article written by Tom Brakke on the anniversary of Mike's accident:

Forty years ago tonight, "before a large crowd in perfect weather for watching football," a game was played that would change many lives. The newspaper summary that contained that description was routine in every respect, but near the end it mentioned some injuries had occurred.

The front page of that issue of the Worthington Daily Globe had a sidebar with a picture of Mike Patrick that had been cropped from the team photo. "Seriously hurt," said the headline below it.

Accompanying the game story on the sports page was a photo of Patrick, lying in the end zone, paralyzed. His neck had been broken as he made a tackle.

Within hours, holes would be drilled in his head and he'd be put in a Stryker frame, so he could be rotated regularly for months. First looking up, then looking down, suspended and still, physically the very opposite of the vibrant, athletic young man I had known.

Had the story ended there, it would be a great example of how we can work together to help others in need. But there's much more to it.

Once he was able to ride in a wheelchair, Mike eventually graduated from the University of Minnesota. Always quite a talker, he became a motivational speaker and has specialized in helping people deal with the challenges of their lives.

The odds against Mike living all these years were very long, and medical problems have often prevented him from doing the work he loves.

He shares his more than forty years of living as a quadriplegic in "I Still Believe in Tomorrow." Mike wants to help others, including health care professionals, people who experience serious health issues, and the general population to better understand all individuals as whole people and to realize every action we take, every word we utter may affect someone's healing.

His message is laced with the sense of humor that has gotten him through it all. "Don't ever break your neck," he says, "It's not worth the good parking spots."
"In 1971, I was a junior in high school with a plan for my life. I knew where I was going. I was a good student with sports on the brain all the time," writes Mike Patrick.

However, in Mike's first varsity football game, he realized something had gone drastically wrong after trying to make a tackle, right inside the goal line. His life was changed in an instant. In "I Still Believe in Tomorrow," Mike writes about the experience, its affect on the entire town, and scores of medical experiences and triumphs since breaking his neck.

Mike's conversational book includes a comprehensive time line and striking photos. He reminds us how our words and actions may affect everyone we encounter today, tomorrow and even years later. He effectively demonstrates this through stories and an experiential exercise for the readers. Reading Mike's experiences will help each of us navigate our own journeys, regardless of what happens along the way.

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Available in the following formats: .epub, .pdf, .mobi

Price: $9.95 USD

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