A Nicholls senior is asking for the support of the community to help raise money to brighten his future after a football injury changed his life eight years ago.Myron Wright was playing football for the Thibodaux High Tigers when a single play changed his life. In an article published in Sports Illustrated, Wright recalled being in position to block an opposing defender when he was pushed from behind with his head down into an oncoming player. The collision left Wright with a fractured vertebra and, to this day, immobile arms and legs.
Wright is raising money for the chance to go back to Project Walk in Carlsbad, California.
Project Walk is a private center that specializes in exercise-based recovery for spinal cord injuries. It has some of the best equipment to treat this type of injury that has been specifically developed for Project Walk’s facilities, along with some of the most experienced Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Specialists. Centers from all over the world send their staff to Project Walk to learn.
Wright has fundraised his way to Project Walk two times already and hopes that with the help of his community, he can return at the end of February for a third time. Wright describes Project Walk as a big family and says he enjoys doing his rehabilitation around others who are suffering from the same type of injury.
“You get to talk to people from all over, in your same situation who can relate to you,” he said.
Though there are other similar centers across the United States for spinal cord rehabilitation, Wright says Project Walk’s focus is different.
“Project Walk’s goal is to help you get out of the wheelchair, not to help you accommodate yourself to the wheelchair. Traditional hospitals want you to better yourself in the wheelchair. You have to go where you feel will help you get better, and I feel Project Walk is that place for me. I like the trainers; I like the environment. There’s many places out there but no place like Project Walk,” Wright said.
But getting back to Project Walk won’t be easy. The program costs $1,800 a week to attend and Wright plans on his next visit lasting nine months. He has already raised $20,000 towards his goal but hopes to raise $60,000 in his upcoming walk-a-thon and banquet.
“I like to pay everything in advance before I go there, so my main focus can be on getting better,” he said.
Wright is looking to his community to get the financial support he needs to reach his goal. The Myron Wright Foundation is holding the fourth annual walk-a-thon at Peltier Park in Thibodaux.
The event will be taking place on Saturday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The registration fee is $20 and includes a shirt, a wristband, free food and drinks.
“This is my battle that will be won, but I can’t do it by myself. In order to do it, I need a lot of prayers and support from the community,” Wright said. “That’s why every fundraiser I do, I ask the community to support me.
