Never Ever Give Up Hope

1.6 seconds. That's how long it takes to fall two stories. That's how long it takes for life to change MICHAEL MURPHY is a motivational speaker, paralyzed athlete, and writer. His journey began in April 2007 when he fell off a roof in college, shattered his spine, and was paralyzed. He was 21. Michael had to adapt to life in a wheelchair over a long rehab process to find his “new normal,” regain his independence, and return to school. Despite his accident, Michael remained the competitive athlete that led him to play both football and baseball in college. n 2008 he found a new passion when he was introduced to hand-cycling and adaptive sports. His first race was The Marine Corps Marathon that year after he teamed up with The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to raise money for spinal cord research. Michael has since helped to raise more than $50,000 for a cure. Today, Michael is a 12-time marathoner with Top 5 finishes in New York and Boston. He was also featured on NBC after completing two Tough Mudder