Stories Inspiring Faith

Excruciating pain swept through me. It was the last thing — the only thing — that I remember from the moments before I lost consciousness. When I woke-up, I was face down in a hospital bed with massive internal and external injuries. My doctors told me there had been an explosion, and while I was injured, ten of my co-workers were dead. I wondered if they had been the lucky ones. The blast had hurled me right through the roof. I flew up over 300 feet in the sky, over a two-story building and then landed hard in a concrete parking lot. When the paramedics found me, my body was broken over at the chest like most people bend at the waist and blood and cerebral spinal fluid were oozing from my nose, ears and mouth. My first reaction upon regaining consciousness was an overwhelming fear. I was almost completely immobile with all kinds of tubes and needles poking out of me, and every other second, piercing pain shot through my spine. When the doctors told me that I was a paraplegic, I fell into a massive depression. I had always been a very athletic person, and now I couldn’t even get out of bed by myself. I was stripped of my pride and personal dignity, paralyzed from the chest down and left alone to wallow in self-pity. Depression and self-doubt ate me alive, dominating my thoughts and reducing me to a shell of a body. I realized that my life was over. It wasn’t only my arms and legs that had been rendered immobile, but my spirit had been lost in the blast as well. The reality of it ate at me with every ounce of sense in my body. I was done. Except that I wasn’t. Kevin went on to become a world champion athlete, to race and win medals in the Olympic Stadiums, and to star next to Tom Cruise in an Academy award-winning movie. Two presidents appointed me to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, and I worked alongside its chairman, Arnold Schwarzenegger. I became one of the top 100 speakers in America. I worked with the Kansas State University football team with Head Coach Bill Snyder to participate in what was later known as the ‘greatest turnaround in college football history’ Reverend Robert Schuller had me on his “Hour of Power” evangelism televisionshow, where I shared my testimony of faith to its estimated worldwide audience of 20 million around the world. I also pushed my wheelchair more than 2,000 miles across America, and later through five European countries serving as an international ambassador for health and fitness. The Kevin Saunders Story is the story of tragedy to triumph! “You have inspired me with your positive attitude and determination. You continue to raise the bar for everyone, to show people of all ages that you can turn dreams into reality. Thank you for teaching the rest of us what it means to be a real winner in life.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger “The Kevin Saunders story is an incredible account of how Kevin responded to an almost overwhelming situation changing himself and his life in the process. He had become through the sheer force of his will the world’s greatest wheelchair athlete and an eloquent spokesperson for anyone wanting to overcome adversity in their life and be a success. I hope you will find his story inspiring and uplifting.” — President George Bush The Kevin Saunders Story is one of almost epic proportions in where Kevin overcame one of the worst industrial accidents of its kind in Texas history. For anyone who needs action, adventure and inspiration in all in one then you need to watch “The Kevin Saunders Story” Kevin worked with me for 2 terms of my Presidency on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports His passion and enthusiasm were invaluable ets to the Council and I greatly appreciate his dedication and efforts in helping people realize the great importance of fitness and overcoming adversity and obstacles to live a balanced successful life — President Bill Clinton

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