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<DIV>I have a fried who's 13 yr old son was just paralyzed from the neck down as
a result of a tornado. </DIV>
<DIV>The son is having serious problems dealing with it and I would like to
extend him some hope and help.</DIV>
<DIV>I would like to ask for your assistance with one or more of the
following:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1:) I would like specific examples of people with similar disabilities
making their contributions to society. Stephen Hawking for example. A short
narrative of a specific person you know with some links to further information
would be nice. I would like him to understand that he is not alone and that legs
are way over-rated compared to the mind and ability to communicate.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2.) I would like any links to specific emergent technologies that you may
know of the treat or repair such problems and return a person to a normal life
within the next 5-15 years.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3.) I would like any information on where I can help him find funding for
such things as high-end computers with speech recognition software and word
predicition software such as Stephen Hawking has. I am going to build him a nice
system with plenty of ports and such, but the specific software and hardware
will likely be more than either of us can afford. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any direct help, or leads or input on any of the above would be greatly
appreciated. My goal is to take a truly terrible event and turn it into a
positive thing. They are low-income and the kid is rather bright, but on a path
to a labor job. My hope is that in the end he can become much more than what he
would have and then he won;t look back on the paralysis as a life-robber, but a
life giver. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for all your input.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kevin Freels</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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