Home/ faqs Frequently Asked Questions Here are the answers to some questions that are often asked about Kevin and his injury: What happened to Kevin?      He broke his neck in a fall in Canada when he was nineteen years old (in 1997). How did it happen?      He fell on his head while attempting a backflip. What kind of injury did he have?      He broke the second cervical vertebra in his neck and sustained a spinal cord injury at the same (C2) level.  This is one level down from where the head sits on the spine (C1).  This is a very high injury.  It was originally determined that Kevin had a "complete" injury, meaning that there was no voluntary movement or feeling below the injury site. Could he breathe?      No, he stopped breathing immediately.  He was kept alive by CPR until an ambulance arrived.  He was on life support  for two years, but  he now breathes on his own during his waking hours.  He goes on a ventilator at night to sleep.  He is monitored at all times for his safety, day and night. Does he have brain damage?      No, he doesn't.  He is perfectly fine from the neck up.  Can he move anything below the injury?      Yes, he can now.  He can move his whole body to one extent or another, feed himself some foods, run a computer, and walk with help.  In 1999 he was reclassified as C3 incomplete, a designation that has to do with functional levels, not a change in the site of injury. Can he talk?      Yes, but because he still has a tracheostomy tube, he cannot speak loudly.

How does he handle what has happened to him?      He has bad days like the rest of us, but he has consistently maintained a healthy attitude and a strong witness to the power of God. He loves life and has many goals. Who takes care of Kevin?      Kevin's parents, brothers and sisters, and his step-grandmother are all trained in his care.  How do they keep going, day in and day out?      By the grace of God.