Life’s challenges can make you or break you. For Brooke Ellison, facing the challenge of spinal cord injury (SCI) catalyzed a life of service. As an author, inspirational speaker, and former candidate for the New York State Senate, Brooke delivers a message of hope and motivation, and strength in the face of obstacles.

“I feel very privileged and proud to take the lessons I’ve learned to help people—whether disabled or facing personal struggles,” says Brooke.

Brooke’s lessons in overcoming challenges began when she was just 11 years old and was hit by a car on her way home from school. The accident left her paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator. Besides learning how to adjust to her SCI, she faced the difficulty of being separated from her family while she underwent rehab.

“It was my first time away from home and I was so young, I didn’t really understand what happened,” says Brooke, whose mother accompanied her on her yearlong journey of SCI rehabilitation.

Instead of setting high expectations, Brooke focused on setting goals.

“It was hard to learn to do everything differently, she says. “I took it one day at a time and focused on just getting through the day.

Learning to use an electric wheelchair gave Brooke the independence to get around on her own and later, learning to use a voice-activated computer enabled her to write.

When she returned home, Brooke’s determination to continue living a rich life and to make a difference led her to focus on her education. After graduating from high school, Brooke faced the challenge of leaving home again when she decided to attend Harvard University to study psychology and biology. She graduated magna cum laude and gave the commencement address for her graduation. Two years later, she and her mother published The Brooke Ellison Story, which documents the family’s experiences following the accident. In 2004, the book was made into a movie, directed by Christopher Reeve.

“I am very proud and satisfied with the book,” says Brooke Ellison. “It involved a lot of back and forth with all our family members to get their perspectives.”

After graduating with a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Brooke took on a new challenge—running for the New York State Senate.

“I needed a sense of purpose and wanted to do something about the conditions around me,” says Brooke.

Although she didn’t win the race, Brooke says the campaign, including going door to door to raise awareness, was a wonderful experience and helped inform people of the issues as well her abilities.

While Brooke Ellison’s SCI did serve as a catalyst for her future, she doesn’t like to focus on her disability.

“People have been touched by my story, and my life allowed people to open up about their lives,” she says. “I am satisfied I’m able to help people with similar circumstances. What I know for sure is that you can find new perspective on life regardless of circumstances, and discover what really matters.”

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See Paralympian Creates Monoskis for People with Disabilities to learn more about a skier who broke his back on the mountain, and recovered by making adaptive ski equipment.