Winning Attitude & Dedication to Physical Therapy Keep Sam Schmidt on Track

This article relates how Sam Schmidt returned to living a productive life after an accident left him with spinal cord injury. Schmidt was a former Indy Racing League driver who founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports after his accident in 2000. Schmidt's car hit the wall as he exited turn two during a practice session at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Florida. After being airlifted to a nearby hospital, Schmidt was diagnosed as a quadriplegic with a spinal cord injury at the C-3/C-4 level. He was on a respirator for five weeks. With the help of his doctors and his family, Schmidt was able to regain his strength and realized that he needed to do something else other than daily therapy. After intense self-evaluation, he decided to organize the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, an organization that aims to raise awareness and help people overcome spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.