Impressive: Dad-Of-1 And Governor Of Texas, US; Greg Wayne Abbot Talks About His Secret To Life

In adversity, your strength is revealed if you do not give up…

While on a jog 34 years ago, a falling branch crushed Greg Abbott, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

For someone, this adversity could have prevented him from achieving his dreams, but not Gregory Wayne Abbott.

Born November 13, 1957, Abbot, an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 48th Governor of Texas since January 2015, used his adversity as a stepping stone to higher heights; he did not give up.

The American lawyer and politician tweeted about the anniversary of his paralysis, writing, “Never let your challenges stop you.”

”On this day 34 years ago my back was broken & I was paralyzed forever. My life seemed crushed. Little did I know that I would one day be Governor of the greatest state in America. It just shows that anything is possible in Texas. Never let your challenges stop you.”

Abbott, who is happily married with a daughter, is very open about his paralysis. He even includes an explanation of his injury on his website as part of the frequently asked questions.

He writes, “While some politicians talk about having a spine of steel, Governor Abbott actually has one.”

Abbott called the pain “excruciating” and said the only way to make it through was to “apply lessons that you’ve learned all your life.”

For Abbott, it was “the lesson of never, ever giving up.” “Our lives aren’t defined by our challenges,” said Abbott. “Instead we get to define our lives by how we respond to those challenges.”

Governor Abbott certainly faces a lot of challenges as Governor. From a hurricane in Houston to mass shootings, Abbott road as governor was not without tragedy. His story is one of triumph over tragedy.

On a summer day in July 1984, Governor Abbott, a 26-year-old recent law school graduate, decided to take a break from studying for the bar exam by going for a jog in a west Houston neighborhood, as he’d done many times before.

While out running, a large oak tree along his path cracked and fell on Governor Abbott’s back, leaving him forever paralyzed from his waist down.

At the hospital, doctors discovered several crushed vertebrae splintering into his spinal cord, broken ribs, and also, damage to vital organs in his body.

As he lay in that hospital bed, and throttled with incomprehensible pain, doctors worked to piece his vertebrae back together. They inserted two steel rods near his spine, which will remain there for the rest of his life. During his harrowing recovery process, Governor Abbott was reminded of lessons he’d learned all his life, especially the lesson of perseverance.

Through this experience, Governor Abbott learned that our lives aren’t defined by our challenges. Instead, we define our lives by how we respond to those challenges. His triumph over tragedy shows that Governor Greg Abbott doesn’t back down from challenges, but uses his lessons in perseverance to overcome them.

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