About Me

Hey! (Scroll down for 2/23/08 Update, NOT FINISHED YET)

To continue on to the blog click here (updated 3/12/08).

2008 Wheelchair Nationals     

My name is Jeff Snell and I am a nineteen year old male.  I lead a pretty regular life; I attend Ball State University, drive fast, hang out with friends, play tennis, ride fourwheelers, race, like meeting new people, keep myself inshape, and date the most amazing girl in the world.

   (click any picture to enlarge in a new window)

The difference is that while many young men around the country sound just like me, I am different.  I do all of these things from a wheelchair (for now).

 

Let me give you a brief history off myself.  I was born in Texas, moved to North Carolina until first grade, and then we moved to Muncie, Indiana.  I attended the Liberty-Perry school system and graduated from Wapahani High School.  At Wapahani I lettered in Track, Volleyball, and Cheerleading.  I was an officer in National Honor Society, Student Council, and R.A.D.D. (Raiders Against Destructive Decisions).  Of course, everyday after school I lifted, my passion.  I took Karate and Jiu-jitsu for four years and stopped at the level of brown belt in each due to a conflict with Track and Volleyball (I truly regret stopping the martial arts today).  I did all this while keeping a G.P.A. of 3.95.  Because of all of this I was accepted to the United States Air Force Academy (it’s the Air Force’s version of West Point).  After I graduated from the Academy I had planned on going through the two grueling years to become a CRO (combat rescue officer), the Air Force just opened PJs (pararescue jumper) to officers.  These guys are combat medics that jump into any high-risk location with casualties, there motto is “That others may live.”

     

I was smart in school and made smart decisions in life, but man was I an idiot.  I drove way to fast (many say I still do ), did stupid stunts on my fourwheeler, handled explosives without care, had quite the mouth, amoung others which will remain unmentioned.  I had many chances to injury myself pretty severely.  Then it happened.On May 21st (one week before my high school graduation) I was driving home from a friends house on a narrow country road.  As I was going over a hill I had to swerve to the right to avoid a car driving in the middle of the road.  My car was partly in the ditch and a telephone pole was quickly approaching.  I attempted to swerve left back on to the road but I had overcorrected sending my car straight across the road into a patch of trees bringing me to an abrupt stop.  When I tried to move to reach my cell phone which was now laying on the passenger side floorboard I realized that my legs were not working.  I got on all fours, my legs on the drivers seat and my arms on the passenger seat, to reach my cell phone and call for help.  Once help arrived I was taken to Ball Hospital where they determined I had broken my back and needed to be lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.  At Methodist they put my broken vertabra back together and fused it to other vertabra with titanium rods and screws.  On the fourth day after my accident I was transferred to the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana where I stayed for five weeks getting rehab and learning how to take care of myself.   Ironically, the day I left the rehab hospital was the day I was suppose to arrive at the Air Force Academy.

   

I was now at home with a spinal cord injury at T10.  I knew I had two choices; be a pessimist bum or be an optimist fighter.  If I hadnt chosen the latter then there are many people around me who would have chosen it for me!!  I want to thank you all right now!!We fought insurance and continued to go to Indianapolis three times a week to brace walk amoung other things.  I soon decided this was enough driving and we decided to order therapy equipment for home use.  I knew I didnt need a PT because I am very highly self motivated and slightly crazy.  I soon started lifting too.  Probably to quickly, but like I said, it’s my passion!

     

Around this time I also started driving again.  I know I told many people I drove by lifting up my leg and putting it on the gas/brake, but I really dont! Haha.  They only modifications we made to our Honda Element were handcontrols; they are connected to the gas/brake, attached at about the steering wheel level, and allow me accelerate/brake.  To get in I simply transfer over to the driver seat, pull my legs in, pull my chair in, and I’m ready to go.  If you see me driving you wouldnt know I was in a wheelchair.  To get out I simply do everything in reverse.  Getting in/out takes about 30 seconds.  (VIDEOS TO COME)

  

In January 2006 I started my first semester at Ball State University.  I opted to not start fall semester because of how shortly it had been since my injury (3-4 months).  I was certainly ready for spring semester after sitting at home doing next to nothing (lifting and therapy).  I am majoring in Exercise Science (and probably Chemistry too) and I absolutely love it.  I plan on attending Medical school after undergrad, but plans obviously change.Ball State has certainly opened up some great doors for me.  Biomechanics and Animation.  Developing a workout DVD.  Through one of my classes I had to do practicum hours so I did them at a gym called Studio 22 owned by Brad Warner.  After completing those practicum hours Brad offered to let me workout at the gym and I have been there since.  Looking forward to getting Brads help for dieting down for a bodybuilding show!Despite working so hard doing therapy I was seeing very little benefits.  So we researched many stem cell avenues and came across the Neurovita Clinic in Moscow, Russia.  This seemed to be the next step in the recovery process and was a great possibility because my Mom and Grandma Luba both speak Ukrainian which is very similar to Russian.  We applied to the clinic and were quickly accepted due to my age, injury level, post-injury time, and fitness level.

We made our first visit of three weeks in February/March 2006.  Luckily we were able to make it over spring break, although I did still miss two weeks of school.  During this visit they ran many tests for the first week.  The second week they gave me Neupogen shots to stimulate the growth of stem cells in the bone marrow that then spill over into the blood where they are harvested via blood seperation machine (used with cancer patients in the states).  The third week I recieved two stem cell injections at L2 (same level as epiderals) and the stem cells travel to the site of injury to make new connections!  Unfortunately there was LOTS of snow and it made this trip very miserable for me!!

    Our second trip was in early June 2006.  This trip was for two weeks and was much more bearable as I was able to get outside.  I recieved many of the same tests as the first trip and two more stem cell injections.  The difference was they didnt need to reharvest stem cells this visit (or any of the others after the first). Our third trip was early August 2006.  Same as the second trip basically.  They generally say three months inbetween trips, but we had to get this one in before school started.I dont know if this is the cure or not, but I have seen benefits already and I will continue to work my ass off doing therapy.  If this isnt the cure, its coming.  I do know one thing and this is it, I WILL WALK AGAIN.Impossible is Nothing.     

-Jeff.

12/21/06 Update

For the past five months I have been dating an AMAZING girl named Kristina Kennedy.  She is sweet, intelligent, caring, passionate, and beautiful!  I love her very much and know she is the one for me!!!

 

In September I competed in a the State-to-State Mini-Marathon (13.1 miles).  It started and finished in Oxford, Ohio with the turnaround point in Indiana.  It was a challenge to train for, but well worth it.  I was the only wheelchair competitor so obviously won (1/1)!  I plan on competing in more races; for example, the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon in May.  I would love to eventually do a triathlon.

 

In October I competed in a bodybuilding show called the USA Wheelchair Championships in Derry, New Hampshire.  I placed 1st out of four competitors making me Mr. USA (wheelchair).  It was a lot of fun because many family members and friends were able to see me compete!  In March I will be competing in Wheelchair Nationals in Florida (if I win I will get my PRO card) and in April I will be guest posing at the Mr. Ball State bodybuilding show (what a HUGE honor to be guest posing!). 

Proving everyday that Impossible really is Nothing. 

MY Inspiration (when life has you down, watch):

Team Hoyt Part 1
Team Hoyt Part 2

-Jeff.

12/17/07 Update

Well, it has been a year since I updated this page and what a year it was! I have since competed in three more bodybuilding shows, wrecked a perfectly good Honda Element, researched the role of GABP in Neuregulin signaling, had a DEXA scan, curled 90lb dumbbells, and undertook the hardest course-load to date.

On March 10, 2007 in beautiful Palm Beach Gardens, FL I competed along with a field of 20+ wheelchair bodybuilders at the Wheelchair Nationals! The overall winner of this large competition would take home a coveted IFBB pro card. I had screwed up my diet and not lost nearly as much body fat as I had intended and came in at a plump 5.5%. At the end of the day I placed 2nd to the 5-time National Champion, a man who has been lifting longer than I have been alive, Victor Konovalov.

  

2007 Wheelchair Nationals Posing Routine Video

I then had the amazing opportunity to Guest Pose at the Mr. and Ms. Ball State Bodybuilding competition. Many, many of my friends and family were able to attend and I was on stage with many of my friends from Ball State and Studio 22!

 

2007 Mr. Ball State Guest Posing routine

Just two days later I competed in a Natural (tested for anabolic steroids) Bodybuilding show in Flint, MI. I was once again able to compete with many of my friends from Studio 22 (Austin, Landon, and Zach).

Talk about freaked out… one day on my way home from a shopping excursion in Indianapolis with Kristina, a woman in front of us slammed her brakes on for no apparent reason and I rear ended her, hard. It was considered my fault, but my poor Element took a nasty mash-in.

In the summer of 07 I did research through Ball State’s Chemistry department at the Medical Education building at Ball Hospital with Dr. Fromm. I partook in a small part of his research, using dominant/negative GABPα to study the role of GABP in Neuregulin signaling. If it sounds like a mouthful, well, it is! Below is a poster (48×36in) I made  describing my research in simpler terms.

Chemistry Research Immersion Summer Program poster