Most people, would assume the student in the wheelchair in this college Chemistry course learned independent living skills a long time ago, in childhood. That assumption is often wrong, particularly on the reservation. Statistics show that injuries due to accidents are much more common on the reservations. A number of reasons contribute to these statistics - alcohol abuse, poor roads, bad weather. Before he became one of the principal consultants at Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc., Willie Davis became one of those statistics. The next few pages tell his story of how he acquired his disability and how, with help from family and friends, he became independent all over again.
"In no time at all (around 1:30 a.m.) the bar closed and we were all informed to leave the building. ...A friend and I then drove back together. I sat on the passenger’s side. This drive seemed to take longer than it did when we first came up. It probably had something to do with being pretty intoxicated and everything was spinning around after consuming around 8 Slings and about 6 beers, including 2 or 3 shots of who knows what. On the drive home I kept on dozing off. ...We arrived back home and continued to drive around until finally we decided to head over to the party. We then drove down this gravel road that was really rough. We called it “washboard roads” because after it rained the road would look like a washboard. This is where my life changed! The last thing I remember was the car (a mid- to late 70’s Chevette 2-door) rolling over and I was thrown through the windshield. My memory is somewhat vague and I somewhat remember lying in water for a short time. I remember a year later taking a drive by the area where the accident happened to better understand where that memory came from."
"Sometimes life has turns and places you in a different direction than you have planned. There are also curve balls, instead of fast balls that are thrown at you. How you handle and deal with them will determine what happens to you or may have results you are not expecting. My life was full of promise at the age of 18 and a choice to give into peer pressure or go with the flow cost me severely. I am grateful that I did not die that night. Even though I experience medical and daily problems, I do not let this get me down. I know that there will always be a better tomorrow."
| To learn about the services and the support from his family as Willie learned to live independently again, click here |  |