Six years ago, I had it all - I was a strong hockey player, a decent snow - and skateboarder on a bad day and pretty sick one on a good day. I also maintained a busy social life, if you know what I mean…

Things took a quick and life lasting turn for the worse on June 24th, 2000 when, after a party, I decided to drive home drunk with my childhood buddy and old-school hockey-mate, Brendan.

The combination of double-digit drinks in my system and speeds well over 100km/hour caused me to lose control of my car while rounding a corner I so often drove around fast.

My Chevy Cavalier struck a median, flew airborne and, upon landing, proceeded to roll repeatedly. Its final resting place - a ditch on the side of Hwy 10, just minutes from my home and work. The crash was devastating to my car, but even more so to the two people inside it.

It wasn’t until weeks later that I finally understood where I was - the hospital. Ample amounts of morphine and other painkillers and sedatives had kept me in a near comatose state. Only every-so-often would I snap out of my drug induced nightmares and hallucinations to struggle with doctors and to fight.

I did not know where I was or how I got there, but something inside me told me I needed to fight. It didn’t take long before I was strapped down to the bed. Yet I still fought to scream. But I couldn’t scream, nor could I move most of my body.

The impact of the crash had not only collapsed my lung (resulting in a breather that blocked my vocal chords), it also broke my collarbones, fractured and dislocated my shoulders, cut my body to shreds and drained me of a hefty portion of my body’s blood.

Worst of all and most damaging was the trauma to my spinal cord. I fractured the C6 and C7 vertebrae in my neck. The injury left me paralyzed from the upper chest down - or a T1 complete paraplegic in medical terms.

I could not move my toes nor could I move my feet, my legs, my hips, my stomach or most of my back. My arms and fingers still worked and everything above did as well. But for the most part, my body was still.

Never have I walked again...

Never have I skateboarded or snowboarded again...

Never have I laced up my ice skates and played hockey...

Never have I looked at the world the same.

I was an extreme sort of person who lived life on the edge. My life was always about excess: excessive drinking, excessive blazing and other drug use, and excessive speeding in my vehicle. These were my hobbies and pastimes. I lived fast and I nearly died young because of it.

By shear luck or maybe by powers that I still don’t quite understand, I was given a second chance at life. Sure, it is a different life. Mine is a life filled with remorse, a life filled with challenges and obstacles that I never faced before I was paralyzed. At times, my life can be a sad life, especially when I think of all of the things that I used to be able to do but now can’t, or when I think of all of the losses that resulted from the crash. But I try not to look at life that way. I am lucky to be alive and thankful to be alive and appreciate every second I have on this earth because I know I almost threw it all away.

Now today, as I sit hear from my wheelchair reflecting on my past choices in life, I only hope that those who hear "My Story" will make smarter choices than my friend Brendan and I did that fateful summer night over six years ago.

I feel wiser for this experience - definitely not naive anymore. I know young people still party and I know young people still drive like lunatics. I also know young people still get in the car with their friends who are under the influence and put their lives in their hands.

All I can say, is it is not worth it to take that chance. Learn from "My Story". I hope everyone I speak to will hear my message and understand that nobody is immune from car crashes or any serious injury. By taking stupid risks, it only increases the chance of becoming yet another statistic.

If you are reading this right now, you have already taken a step in the right direction. I would never tell someone not to drink, nor would I encourage people to go out to drink party or do drugs. These are decisions that people will make for themselves. I just hope those that do make the choice to go out and party at least plan ahead for a safe ride home.

There is nothing more tragic than young people losing their lives as a result of making stupid, preventable mistakes. The power of choice is something all of us possess. Only you can decide to make the smarter choice so that you can live your life to the fullest saving your friends, family and loved ones incomprehensible and irreversible sadness. If you are going to party, plan ahead and be safe.

Life is a gift - Experience It, Embrace It, Enjoy It!