Unstoppable: How Matthew Johnson Has Redefined Success While Navigating Society with A Severe Spinal Cord Injury
An interview with Kelly Reeves
“Letting go of broken dreams makes room for new ones.”
As a part of our “Unstoppable” series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Matthew Johnson
In 2005, Matthew Johnson sustained a C-5 spinal cord injury, rendering him a quadriplegic. Despite losing the use of his legs and with limited use of his hands and fingers, he worked fiercely to regain his independence and finish college. He has gone on to work as a collegiate English professor, become a published author, and is a highly successful high school track and field coach.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! It is really an honor. Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Growing up, sports was a huge part of my life. I took swimming lessons as soon as I was able, and stated playing t-ball and soccer when I was five years old. From then on, I played sports nearly year-round. Soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring and summer. I loved it! I was average at these sports, but all of my coaches told my mom they felt I would excel at football. So, when I was twelve, I joined a pee-wee team and began playing. It was something of an awakening; not only did I love playing, I was good at it. I wanted to work at it and get better. The summer before my freshman year of high school, I ran and lifted weights like a man possessed. I earned a spot as a starting offensive lineman that I held the all four years I was there.
High school was also where I was introduced to track and field. I threw shot put and discus — events for which I also found a deep and profound passion. In 2001, I was league champion for shot put and landed on my school’s top 20 list for that event.
I also grew up playing music. I started playing piano when I was four years old. I also learned to play trumpet for the school band, and later, learned to play guitar and drums. Of all the instruments I learned how to play, guitar was my favorite. I got an old guitar from my dad, and I played it until I had permanent indentations in my fingertips. Moreover, some of my favorite memories are playing music with friends from high school. We even formed an alternative/pop-punk band called Big Pants Richard. Highlights of our short-lived career included playing at school during lunch one afternoon and opening for a mariachi band at our bass player’s aunt’s church’s parish festival. Sadly, as we graduated and began college, we went our separate ways and the band split up. I still have an old cassette tape of a rehearsal we’d recorded. It’s one of my favorite things — a memory come to life from good times that have long since ended.
I was a pretty good student growing up. I got mostly A’s and B’s from grade school until I graduated high school. However, I took an academic nose-dive in college. I would eventually earn a bachelor’s, then a master’s degree in English literature, but I began college as a biology major. It was a subject I liked in high school and was good at, so I figured I’d major in it. However, a combination of working full-time, a lack of maturity on my part, and required chemistry classes (which, in my defense, I almost passed on the third try) eventually got me academically disqualified from the state college I was attending. A month later, my life would change forever, and being kicked out of school would be the least of my concerns.
Do you feel comfortable sharing with us the story surrounding how you became disabled or became ill?
Yes, of course! On July 2nd, 2005, I had a pre-Fourth of July party at my apartment with some friends. Initially, it was supposed to be a night of drinks, jokes, and catching up with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while. In the course of alcohol-fueled events, someone suggested we go to the complex’s swimming pool. We did so in various states of undress, as not everyone had brought swim suits with them. At this point, I should point out that I had recently gotten out of a long-term relationship, as had a friend of mine upon whom I had developed a massive crush. We had been flirting back and forth for weeks, but that night, our mutual feelings seemed to have escalated. So when she ran and jumped in the pool and gave me a look I interpreted as “get over here,” I jumped in after her. But instead of going in feet first, I dove in. I wanted to get there quickly. Only, I dove in at a near-vertical angle. At 6’2” tall, I dove into the midpoint of the pool which was about three and a half feet deep. I smashed my head on the bottom. It felt like a car crash; the impact reverberated throughout my entire body, and for a moment, I just went limp. Soon, the haze began to lift, and I felt a piercing pain in the top of my head. I found out later, not only had I split my head open, I had a severe concussion. However, I didn’t know how badly I’d injured myself until I went to stand up…and nothing happened. I could feel my legs, albeit with a pins and needles sensation all over my skin. I tried again. No response. Panic set in. I was face down in the water. I couldn’t stand up, and the impact had driven most of the air from my lungs. I couldn’t pull my head above the surface. I tried calling for help, but all I got was a mouthful of water. I tried using my arms, which, luckily, I could still move, to propel myself upward out of the water to get a breath. That, too, failed. Exhausted, with my lungs on fire, and with the world fading out of focus, I thought, “This is it.” I felt a sad laugh ripple through me at the realization that I was going to die at 22 years old, face down in a pool after doing something stupid and easily preventable. My last conscious thought was, “Well, this sucks…but I’m lucky I had a good life with people I loved.” For a moment, everything turned blindingly bright, then all went dark and silent.
Much to my surprise, I woke up in an ambulance on the way to a nearby hospital. As I later learned, my friend Shawn noticed the blood coming out of my head as I floated motionless in the pool. He organized everyone there to get me out of the pool and to call 9–1–1. He also performed CPR and got me breathing on my own again. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be writing this right now.
In the following days, I learned I had sustained a C-5 incomplete spinal cord injury. What that means is, I broke my fifth cervical vertebra (“shattered” was a term I’d heard used frequently, and one which did not inspire confidence). And while my spinal cord was damaged — it had been kinked like a garden hose — it hadn’t been severed. Whlie I am technically a quadriplegic, and while I do have impaired movement and nerve function in both arms and both legs, I was able to recover enough functional movement live independently, albeit with the aid of some adapted equipment.
What mental shift did you make to not let that “stop you”?
A lot of not letting my disability stop me was the fact that I was still alive. After I was done with my initial therapy, I learned from a family friend who worked at the hospital at which I had the reconstructive surgeries on my neck that the neurosurgeon who’d admitted me hadn’t expect me to have survived that night. For whatever reason, I had a second chance at a life that, in all likelihood, should have ended in that pool. I wasn’t going to squander that chance. I still had goals I wanted to accomplish. I still had people in my life who cared about me and who I cared about. I wanted to recover as much as possible, not just for me, but for them as well.
Doing so was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Physical rehab and occupational therapy make two-a-day football practices look like a pleasant nap. There were days on which I not only wanted to give up, but wished I had died in the accident. I had lost so much — my athletic abilities, my ability to play musical instruments, and for nearly a year, my ability to do things like shower, go to the bathroom, and get dressed on my own. Luckily, I had the unending support of family and friends. On the days I wanted to quit, I kept going for them. Their love and support really got me through the worst times.
Connecting with other people with disabilities was also a big part of helping me accept my new normal. Seeing how they navigated their daily lives helped me find tricks and tips that made my own daily routine easier. Also going out in public and seeing how comfortable they were in their own skins while we were at dinner or watching live music or doing any number of social things helped me become comfortable with myself. Again, it wasn’t an easy adjustment. It took me the better part of two years for me to finally be comfortable in a public, social space.
All of that is to say that, eventually, it occurred to me that life is still worth living, even from a wheelchair.
Can you tell our readers about the accomplishments you have been able to make despite your disability or illness?
My first major accomplishment is something most people take for granted, but means everything to me. I was able to regain my independence. When I first began physical rehab, I could barely move my arms. I had no function in my hands. I couldn’t hold a fork or a toothbrush or put on a shirt. Now, I’m able to do almost everything I could do before the accident. I’m able to live on my own, drive a car, work a steady job, cook my own meals, and even play video games with friends.
I was also able to go back to school and earn both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature. Finishing college and grad school meant a lot to me, especially after my first foray into college ended so poorly.
I have also become a published author. I have several short stories published across various publications. I had a lot of success writing on Medium. In 2021, I was making enough money from my blog to pay the bulk of my bills, and I was also a member of their Creator Fellowship Program. I still want to be a novelist when I grow up. While I haven’t gotten a novel published yet, I’m hoping I’ll accomplish this in the relative near future. Besides, it’s good to have goals to work toward.
I am also a highly successful high school track and field coach. I began coaching shot put and discus in 2017, and it’s been one of the best things I’ve done with my life. In the eight years I’ve coached, we’ve been league champions six times. I have coached individual athletes into the post-season every year I’ve coached (minus 2020…lousy pandemic), with my athletes routinely competing in the qualifying meets for the California State Track and Field Championships. In four of the eight years I’ve coached, I’ve helped athletes reach the state championship. The last three years in a row, I’ve coached athletes who’ve qualified for the Nike National Outdoor Championship Meet. Most recently, I coached a young lady who finished second in the state for discus. She finished tenth overall in discus at National Championships.
Coaching is where I get the most curious and doubtful looks. People see the wheelchair and instantly have questions. How can someone coach track and field athletes when he, himself can’t even stand up? Sometimes, people ask and we have a pleasant conversation. Other times, they leap to the assumption that I’m incompetent. A few people have leapt to the conclusion that I’m the parent of one of my athletes. Even after all of the success I’ve had as a coach, I still hear people use terms like “Special Olympics” and “Make-a-Wish” when they think I can’t hear them.
What advice would you give to other people who have disabilities or limitations?
The best piece of advice I received when I was in the rehab hospital was “Never turn down good help when it’s offered.” This was one of the most difficult adjustments I had to make after my accident. I used to be the guy people went to when they needed a hand with something (I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve helped move over the years). Now, I’m someone who often has to accept help from others. While I highly value my independence, I still have to recognize my limitations. Setting my stubbornness aside and letting people help me when I need it has made my life substantially better.
This doesn’t just apply to physical help. Finding the person or people you can lean on for emotional support is equally important. They don’t need to be trained mental health professionals; they just need to care enough to listen.
I would also urge anyone who is new to life with a disability to find something they love doing and find a way they can do it. Having things I enjoyed doing, that I looked forward to, really helped get me through difficult days. Along those lines, please know that things will get better. I know adjusting to life with a disability is likely the most difficult challenge we will ever face, and it’s a recovery time measured not in days and weeks, but in years. But, with time, patience, practice, and experience, it will get better.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
My Mom. I’m lucky enough that I have a lot of wonderful friends and family members, all of whom helped out however they could when I was in and first home from the hospital. It made a world of difference in my recovery and my adjustment to my life post-spinal cord injury. But my mom was always there. She’s always been my biggest fan and supporter. I wouldn’t have made it through the long recovery process without her.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
My writing success has allowed me to share aspects of my story with people who have limited experience with disability. Through my Medium blog, I’ve been able to educate people about what living life from a wheelchair is like. I often received comments like “That never even occurred to me,” or, “I’ve always wondered about that.” I’ve also been able to answer people’s questions — mostly because they’ve felt comfortable enough to ask. I’ve also been able to connect with readers living with various disabilities. In sharing my struggles, some readers find they’re not as alone or isolated as they once thought.
As a coach, I do my best to positively impact the lives of my athletes. One of my main goals is to help all of them develop their self-confidence. Not everyone will qualify for the state championship meet. But everyone can improve and throw a little further than the previous day. One of the most rewarding aspects of coaching is watching the kids go from “I don’t know about this,” to “I can do this.” I also try to foster a good team culture in which everyone who’s on my team feels like they belong there. My athletes cheer for each other and pick each other up when they’re down. We’re a close group, which makes it really difficult to say goodbye to graduating seniors.
Can you share “5 things I wish people understood or knew about people with physical limitations” and why.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?
A few years after my accident, I heard someone say, “Letting go of broken dreams makes room for new ones.” I’m not sure who to attribute this to, as I can’t remember where I heard it. Regardless, it’s advice that’s often helped me keep things in perspective, especially on days when I find myself imagining what my life could have been like had I not broken my neck.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this 🙂
It’s tough to pick a single person, but if I had to pick one, I would choose the Creative Director of Naughty Dog Studios and writer/director of The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann. I would love to talk writing, storytelling, and directing with him. Admittedly, I would also gush about how much I love The Last of Us and what that game/story means to me.
Thank you so much for the time you spent with this interview. We wish you continued success and good health!
Unstoppable: How Matthew Johnson Has Redefined Success While Navigating Society with A Severe… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.