We only get one life, but Ed Petner believes he's been given two. The Clayton resident was paralzyed from just above the belly button down when he was fourty-four years old. On the anniversary of his accident he swam a half-marathon in hopes of raising money to find a cure.
Wonder two fuck up my shoe. The dive is different. Cruise over and so is the stroke. But Ed pet can swim. Ed pet is alive. And that's a beautiful thing. I mean, if I could have my legs back. A Absolutely. I would. But I think in some ways my life and it sounds nuts has been possibly better than it would have been. 20 years ago, Ed was enjoying life as a retired Manhattan ceo husband and father of four. I'm 63 and my hair used to be, you know, combed pretty much the way uh Clark Kent was and so people used to call me Superman. Superman himself would have struggled to survive. What happened to Ed on August 23 2003. He was on vacation biking from Rhode Island to Connecticut when he was hit head on by a car. I don't remember the moment of impact, but I do remember flying through the air and I remember being terrified and thinking of my kids losing, losing their dad. I have four kids. Ed says he believes the only way he lived was through divine intervention. And then I felt this warm hug like you can't imagine. And like a voice that said these exact words, relax. Everything's gonna be ok. Now, here we go. The accident left ed paralyzed from about two inches over the belly button down. I had the foresight to marry a nurse. So that was good. He lost the use of his legs but still has a sense of humor. I feel good. Like I knew that I would and his athletic ability every year. On the anniversary of the accident, he swims a mile most of the time I'm concentrating on what lap I'm on because it's easy to lose track on August 23rd of this year, he swam 13.1 a half marathon to raise money for the Christopher Reeve Foundation. I'm doing it for a cause I really care about. You know, I want to walk again someday. There's currently no cure for paralysis. But good luck telling that to the man who says he already beat death. I got to experience God. And that's when you no longer fear death. I mean, when you literally look forward to death, which I do know I'm happy for every moment here. Um It really changes your life. Pat Welter, here we go, Wrl Sports. That was funny.
