Doctors
determined Joe had a spinal cord injury and was immediately
sent via ambulance to Pensacola. Within 24 hours he
was paralyzed from the neck down, with only his facial
muscles
moving.
With
intensive therapy, including a motorized stationary
bike and a treadmill, Joe has recovered considerably
during the last seven years. Today he has total feeling
from the shoulders up, has some movement in his legs
and torso, uses a ventilator only once a day, and to
get around uses an electric wheelchair.
At
age 9, Joe has become an award‑winning artist,
even though he doesn’t have any feeling in his hands.
“Art
has been a great tool for my son,” said Tish. “Florida’s
lieutenant governor selected Joe’s artwork to grace
her 2004 holiday card. Then, in 2005, the secretary
of the state department of transportation
selected his artwork for its holiday card and calendar.”
Being
selected for this last honor was so rewarding to Joe
because judges chose his card blindly, meaning they
didn’t know of his disability. In other words, he was
competing one‑on‑one against “able‑bodied”
peers. Another painting of his has graced a billboard
near the state capitol.
Joe
paints using a paintbrush attached to a wooden dowel
that is in turn connected to the brim of his sun visor.
Besides
art, he has won local and state writing contests, and
recently spoke in front of 150 Florida State students.
As for school, he attends public school three days a
week and has homeschool the other two days.
Was
he surprised to win that first art contest in 2004?
“Absolutely,” he said smartly over the telephone.
This
Joe Griffin is a polite and determined young man with
a bright future.
