[00:00:01]
TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES,[Focus on Abilities (#202): "Vincent Sokhon - IRLU Research Assistant; Jose Maldonado - Senior at Sam Houston State University"]
A PROGRAM ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
I AM PROFESSOR OF BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON, AND I DIRECT THE ILRU INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
UH, WE HAVE AN INTERESTING, UH, PAIR OF, UH, GUESTS TODAY FOR OUR PROGRAM.
AND, UH, I WANT TO INTRODUCE THEM WHEN WE COME BACK.
BUT BEFORE WE BREAK, I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT WE'LL ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
UH, ONE HOBBY THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING UP THAT'S KIND OF FUN IS, UH, FLYING DRONES.
AND THE QUESTION IS, CAN PEOPLE WITH SEVERE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS, UH, ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THIS HOBBY? CAN, CAN WE FLY DRONES? UH, WE'LL BE BACK AFTER THIS BREAK FOR FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER, PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
YOU'RE WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES ON HTV.
UH, WE HAVE TWO GREAT GUESTS FOR YOU TODAY, AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE THEM.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, VINCENT SOKOLOW.
AND, UH, VINCENT, YOU ARE, UH, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR TITLE? UH, I AM A RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT THE I-L-R-U-I, UH, I WORK WITH, UH, WITH THE PROFESSOR FRIEDEN, AND I HELP OUT WITH, UH, ANY PROJECTS IN, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT, AT THE INSTITUTION.
SO YOU ARE ACTUALLY, UH, PRETTY BUSY THIS SUMMER, BUT, UH, IN THE FALL AND NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE NEW, UH, LOOK AT LIFE, RIGHT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, YEAH, THIS FALL I'LL BE A, A FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE CARIBBEAN.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, UH, GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK, UH, FOR YOU AND GAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS AMAZING RESEARCH EXPERIENCE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WILL BE, UH, STUDYING ABROAD TO ST.
MARTIN AND I'LL BE, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTENDING MEDICAL SCHOOL THERE ON THE BEACH.
UH, SO IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT SIDE OF, UH, OF, UH, THE WORLD.
SO I'M EXCITED TO GET STARTED.
WELL, PRESUMABLY THEY'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE EDUCATION AND NOT THE BEACH.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE, UH, AND, UH, VINCENT, YOU HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF MEDICINE YOU WANNA SPECIALIZE IN? UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, FOR MOST OF MY LIFE I THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY OR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY.
BUT AFTER WORKING WITH YOU, I MEAN, I, I AM, UH, STARTING TO GAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE FAMILIARITY WITH THE PMNR PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION.
SO, UM, I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, MORE, UH, INCLINATION TO PURSUE THAT.
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS DURING A THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR ROTATIONS.
WELL, THERE'S A LONG TIME BETWEEN NOW, LONG TIME, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HELPING US.
AND, UH, YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE PROGRAM NOW A COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, BEFORE, AND, UH, YOU WERE ONE OF OUR ACE INTERNS.
UH, THIS SUMMER YOU'VE BEEN HELPING US PUT TOGETHER, YOU, YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUE, JOCELYN FERRATO, HAVE BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER A, A GROUP OF, UH, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SPINE CORD INJURY, IN FACT, WHO, UM, HAVE, UH, A DESIRE TO BECOME BETTER, MORE OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATES.
UH, WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT PROGRAM? THIS IS, UH, CALLED THE TEAM, UH, PROGRAM, THE TIER EMPOWERED ADVOCATES, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE CALL IT THE FOR SHORT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE, UH, UH, PAIR, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISHED, UH, UH, DISABILITY ADVOCATES IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THOSE IN, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PA BOLD OR IC, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET, UH, ESTABLISHED MENTORS AND WE PAIR THEM WITH, UH, UH, PARTICIPANTS LIKE, UH, JOSE HERE, UH, AND A FEW OTHER, UH, MENTEES AND OR PARTICIPANTS.
AND WE MATCHED THEM UP AND GAVE THEM, UH, THE RESOURCES TO, YOU KNOW, UH, BE SELF-ADVOCATES AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, UH, LEARN MORE ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, BE MORE INDEPENDENT AND, AND, UH, AND BE MORE OUTSPOKEN TO, UH, OTHER PEOPLE AND TO INSPIRE THEM.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DO.
WELL, THAT MAKES A NICE SEGUE TO JOSE.
UH, UH, GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.
AND YOU ARE FROM PORTER, TEXAS, I UNDERSTAND.
YES, THAT'S WHERE I CURRENTLY LIVE.
JOSE, YOU WERE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM THAT VINCENT DESCRIBED THIS SUMMER.
[00:05:01]
THERE? MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROGRAM, IT WAS, UH, VERY INTERESTING.I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE LAWS, INCLUDING WITH THE A DA, LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE, THE LAW ASPECT OF THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY SPINAL CORD INJURIES.
UH, I WAS, WHAT I'VE LEARNED MOSTLY FROM THE HOSPITALS WERE WAYS TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW TO CARE LONG TERM FOR MY INJURIES, BUT NOT REALLY THE LAW SIDE OF IT, LIKE WHAT KIND OF LAW RIGHTS I HAVE WITH A PER, LIKE, WITH A SPINAL CORD INJURY.
SO THAT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS, IT WAS, I HAD A LOT OF FUN.
IT WAS, I WAS PAIRED WITH A REALLY GOOD MENTOR.
HE GUIDED ME THROUGH MY PROCESS AS WELL.
AND WHO, WHO WAS THAT? THAT IS HIS NAME IS VICTOR.
HE WORKS AT GREW WEST GRAY, WHERE THEY HAVE, UH, REHABILITATION SPORTS AND, UM, OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE REHAB RELATED.
I SAW HE, WHEN WE WENT, UH, WHEN WE MET IN PERSON, HE HAD ME, LIKE, I WAS LOOKING AND HE INVITED ME TO THE WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL FIRST.
I WASN'T GONNA DO IT, BUT, UH, HE, LIKE, I GOT, I GOT A LITTLE, LIKE, MOTIVATED BY WATCHING HIM PUSH HER AROUND.
SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, LET'S GO.
EVEN THOUGH I WAS STRUGGLING, I STILL PUSHED THROUGH.
SO, UH, LET ME ASK YOU, JOSE, HOW YOU, HOW DID YOU GET YOUR SPINAL CORD INJURY? YES.
UM, SO ORIGINALLY I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CALIFORNIA, THE ORANGE COUNTY SANTANA.
THAT'S WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED.
AND MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA TO HOUSTON, TEXAS TO VISIT FAMILY MEMBERS BACK IN JULY 2ND, 2015.
THAT'S WHERE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
UH, THERE WAS A CAR CRASH AND THE TRUCK, UH, BARRELED THREE TIMES IN THE FREEWAY.
UM, IT HAPPENED IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU'RE DRIVING FROM CALIFORNIA TO HOUSTON.
YOU MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO SAN ANTONIO, AND YOU HAVE A CRASH.
THAT ROLLED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES.
SAT ON THE FREEWAY, ON THE HIGHWAY, OR WHERE IT WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE THERE'S NOTHING BUT GRASS.
WELL, BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAYS IN TEXAS.
AND ORIGINALLY I WASN'T EVEN GONNA GO, BUT I DECIDED TO GO ON A ROAD TRIP.
MY FAMILY WERE PACKED UP IN THE TRUCK, AND IT WAS ESSENTIALLY, THIS WAS A MINUTE, ALMOST 50 SECONDS WITH THEM BEING IN A VEHICLE AND ME QUICKLY PACKING UP SO I CAN JOIN THEM FOR THE ROAD TRIP.
SO YOU WEREN'T EVEN PLANNING TO GO? NO, I WAS GONNA STAY HOME UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE, THE, THE CAR LEFT WITH THE FAMILY.
I WAS PLANNING A PARTY AND, AND YOU GET TO, UH, SAN ANTONIO AND YOU ROLL OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY IN THROUGH THE GRASS.
THE TRUCK BARRELED THREE TIMES ON THE FREEWAY.
I KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS AWAKE DURING, BEFORE, DURING, AND EVEN WHEN I HIT THE FLOOR, I DIDN'T LOSE CONSCIOUS AT ALL.
SO I REMEMBER EVERYTHING TO EVEN THE SCREAMINGS, UH, MY LITTLE BROTHER SCREAMS. AND SO I DIDN'T LOSE CONSCIOUS UNTIL I WAS AIRLIFTED BY HELICOPTER ON THE HOSPITAL.
I'M ASSUMING THEY INJECTED ME WITH SOMETHING.
UH, MY MOM AND MYSELF WERE AIRLIFTED ON THE SAME HELICOPTER.
MY LITTLE BROTHER AND MY LITTLE SISTER WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED ROLLING, WAS IT ON ITS FACE UP OR UPSIDE DOWN? IT WAS ON ITS TIRES WHEN IT STOPPED ROLLING.
I KNOW THIS 'CAUSE I SAW THE PHOTOS, THEY TOOK PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT, AND I SAW THE PHOTOS OF THE RIGHT, RIGHT HAND.
THE DOORS WERE COMPLETELY TORN APART FROM THE IMPACT THE FORCE.
AND WHEN I LANDED IT, I LANDED ON MY STOMACH WITH MY HEAD FACING THIS WAY.
AND I REMEMBER EVERYTHING VIVIDLY.
AND PEOPLE, WHAT S WHAT SURPRISES ME AND WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT STOPPED, I COULDN'T SEE, BUT I CAN HEAR ALL THESE VOICES OF PEOPLE TELLING ME TO, TO STAY CALM, THAT WERE WITH YOU.
SO THERE WERE FOUR OF YOU IN THE VEHICLE? IT, IT WAS ME, MY LITTLE BROTHER, MY LITTLE SISTER, MY MOM AND MY STEPDAD.
JUST ME AND MY LITTLE SISTER, MY LITTLE BROTHER.
WERE EJECTED OUTTA THE VEHICLE AND WE LANDED ON THE GRASS SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.
I WANT TO, I WANT TO CHECK IN WITH YOU A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT, UH, SURE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING ON HTV, PLEASE STAY TUNED.
[00:10:01]
BACK WITH MORE ON JOSE'S STORY AND, UH, WITH VINCENT, UH, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.ARNOLD TEXAS'S OLDEST CRAFT BREWERY SHIPPED THEIR FIRST KEG OF BEER IN 1994.
THE INFLUX OF SO MANY PEOPLE ARRIVING HERE IN HOUSTON FROM AROUND THE WORLD IS VERY IMPACTFUL ON MY PALATE, AS WELL AS MY CANVAS AS AN ARTIST.
ALL THE ART THAT WAS IN HOUSTON ONLY GOT ME SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING MY OWN.
THE KENNEDY BAKERY BUILDING IS SAID TO BE ONE OF THE OLDEST HAUNTS IN HOUSTON.
WE ARE HERE WITH VINCENT AND WITH JOSE.
AND, UH, JOSE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, UH, THE CRASH.
AND YOU SAID THERE WERE YOUR SISTER AND YOUR LITTLE BROTHER AND YOUR MOM AND YOUR STEPDAD.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER INJURIES BESIDES YOURS? THERE WAS A LOT, A LOT OF INJURIES.
MY STEPDAD BROKE HIS SHOULDER.
SHE WAS ON A BRACE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.
IT DIDN'T REACH THE SPINAL CORD, THANKFULLY.
UM, MY LITTLE BROTHER, HE BROKE HIS, UH, HIP.
HE HAS A SCREW ON THERE AS WELL.
MY LITTLE SISTER DIED TWICE ON THE SCENE, GOT REVIVED.
SHE, SHE WAS IN A LONG, UH, REHABILITATION OF RECOVERY, COGNITIVE, BECAUSE SHE HAS A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FROM THE ACCIDENT AS WELL.
BUT SHE RE NOW, CURRENTLY SHE'S, YOU, YOU CAN'T TELL THAT SHE HAS A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.
UH, I MEAN THE, THE, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT, UH, BRAIN INJURY AS SAME AS A LOT OF PSYCHIATRIC IMPAIRMENTS.
PEOPLE YOU CAN'T SEE ON THE OUTSIDE.
UH, BUT WHEN PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND WORDS, IT MAY BE A FUNCTION OF THAT BRAIN INJURY OR, UH, OTHER CONDITIONS.
SO SHE, IT'S A BLESSING THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL STILL ALIVE AND, AND, UH, ABLE TO BE, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
UH, YOU WERE TAKEN BY THE HELICOPTER TO HOSPITAL IN SAN ANTONIO, NO DOUBT.
I THINK IT WAS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I BELIEVE WE WERE CLOSE TO AUSTIN WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
WE'RE STILL IN A SAN ANTONIO AREA.
SO, UM, YOU WENT TO BRECKENRIDGE GOOD HOSPITAL AND THEY PROBABLY STABILIZED YOU AND SAVED YOUR LIFE AT LEAST ONCE.
UM, THE, UH, THE EXPERIENCE THERE LASTED HOW LONG IN BRECKENRIDGE? IT LASTED ABOUT MONTH.
A MONTH BECAUSE, UH, MY MOM WAS FIGHTING TO HAVE US ALL IN ONE HOSPITAL.
'CAUSE ALL OF US WERE IN A HOSPITAL EXCEPT FOR MY STEPDAD.
BUT MY MOM WAS HAVING TO GO FROM DALE'S CHILDREN HOSPITAL, WHERE MY LITTLE BROTHER AND MY LITTLE SISTER WERE STAYING AT, TO BRECKENRIDGE HOSPITAL.
SO MY MOM AND MY STEPDAD WOULD BE ROTATING BACK AND FORTH, UH, TO VISIT US, TO STAY WITH US AS WELL.
AS WELL, MY, MY UNCLE, HE WOULD STAY WITH ME A LOT, A LOT WHILE MY
SO YOU HAD SOMEBODY WITH YOU 24 7? YES.
'CAUSE THEY HAD ME ON THE, THE AIR EAR, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? AIR VENT? YEAH.
MY BREATHING, THEY WERE SAYING THAT MY BREATHING AT NIGHT WAS NOT, NOT REALLY GOOD.
SO THEY HAD TO KEEP ME ON THAT, WHICH I DID NOT LIKE.
'CAUSE I FELT LIKE I WAS CHOKING FROM THE AIR.
I COULDN'T MOVE MY ARMS LIKE I COULD RIGHT NOW.
UH, MY ARMS WERE JUST STILL, AND I WAS PARALYZED LIKE THIS.
SO WHEN, WHEN I COULDN'T, LIKE, I FELT LIKE IT WAS SUFFOCATING ME THE AIR.
SO AT NIGHT, WHAT I USED TO DO, 'CAUSE MY UNCLE WAS STAYING WITH ME, I WOULD LIKE TRY TO CALL HIM, BUT I COULDN'T 'CAUSE OF THE, THE MASK.
SO IT WOULD JUST SOUND LIKE, AND THEN HE WOULD LIKE COME UP AND HE WOULD SAY, WHAT'S WRONG? AND I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TRY TO TELL HIM, OH, THAT'S THE MASK.
I DIDN'T LIKE THE MASK AT ALL.
I KEPT FIGHTING FOR THEM TO GIMME THE NOSE ONE UNTIL THEY FINALLY, THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD, THEY GAVE ME THIS LITTLE, THIS THING THAT THEY USE IN HOSPITALS WHERE YOU HAVE TO BREATHE AND THE LITTLE THING GOES UP.
THEY TOLD ME, YOU, YOU REACHED THIS AMOUNT, THEN WE WILL GET YOU TESTING YOUR, UH, TESTING YOUR, THE, THE LUNG CAPACITY.
SO YOU REALLY WORKED HARD TO GET THAT BUBBLE UP IN THE TUBE, RIGHT? YES.
THE NOSE, THE NOSE, UH, AIRWAY TUBE INSTEAD OF THE MASK.
SO THE, I MEAN, THAT WAS IN, YOU SAID 20 12, 20 15.
[00:15:03]
2015.YOU STILL HAVE, UH, NIGHTMARES AND, AND UH, DEAL WITH THE PTSD THAT YOU PROBABLY HAD AS A RESULT OF THE INJURY? NO, NOT AS, NO NIGHTMARES.
WHAT I HAVE NOW CURRENTLY, SO LET'S GO BACK.
BEFORE THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF MY INJURY, I HAD A-P-T-S-D FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT.
'CAUSE SURE I WAS AWAKE DURING EVERYTHING.
SO I REMEMBER THINGS VIVIDLY EVEN TO THIS DAY.
AND SO BEING OUT IN TEXAS ROADWAYS, UM, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
THERE'S NO LIKE, PLACE THAT YOU CAN TRAVEL OR BY SIDEWALKS.
SO YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET BACK IN A VEHICLE IF YOU WANNA TRAVEL ANYWHERE.
SO EXPOSURE THERAPY HELPED ME GET OVER MY PTSD.
I ONLY HAVE IT TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN, YOU KNOW HOW DRIVERS ARE THESE DAYS CUTTING EACH OTHER OFF, EVERYONE'S IN A RUSH.
SO THAT'S WHEN IT KIND OF TRIGGERS IT A LITTLE BIT WHERE I'M JUST LIKE, IT'S A REFLEX.
LIKE IF WE BREAK REALLY HARD JUST BY REFLEX, I'LL QUICKLY GRAB THIS.
AND I EVEN TRY, I TRY TO FIGHT THOSE AS WELL 'CAUSE I KNOW WHY I DO THAT.
AND SO, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT DOESN'T HOLD ME BACK FROM LIVING MY BEST LIFE.
SO IN THE, AFTER YOU LEFT BRECKENRIDGE, UH, WHERE'D YOU GO THEN? TO DELL'S CHILDREN HOSPITAL.
AND SO YOU HAD REHABILITATION THERE? YES.
WHEN DID YOU MOVE TO HOUSTON? HOUSTON, UM, I STAYED IN DELL'S CHILDREN FOR LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF OR TWO MONTHS.
WE OVERSTAY OUR WELCOME, BUT MY MOM, THEY WERE, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET US TO LEAVE THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, IT'S, IT'S, OUR DISCHARGE HOSPITAL CAN'T KEEP YOU FOR OVER A SPEC SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND SO THEY WERE TRYING TO, LIKE, THEY TELL HER THAT WE HAD TO DISCHARGE, BUT MY MOM WOULDN'T ACCEPT ME, ACCEPT HIM.
SO SHE KEPT FIGHTING HIM AND SAYING THAT THE ONLY HOSPITAL THAT HE'S GOING TO IS MEMORIAL HERMANN.
THAT'S THE ONLY HOSPITAL THAT, 'CAUSE SHE DID ALL HER RESEARCH OH WOW.
AND SHE FOUGHT THROUGH HELL AND BACK TO GET US INTO THAT HOSPITAL.
LIKE WITHIN TWO WEEKS WE WERE ACCEPTED, WHICH I FOUND, I HEARD IT'S VERY RARE.
BUT MY MOM, SHE'S A FIGHTER AND SHE, SHE FOUGHT FOR, I'M PRETTY SURE THE DE'S CHILDREN GOT TIRED OF HAVING US THERE.
SO I'M SURE THEY FOUGHT FOR US AS WELL.
SO IT WAS ALL THANKS TO NORMAL.
AND THAT EXPERIENCE AT TIER WAS GOOD FOR YOU? OH, IT WAS WHERE IT GOT MY MOVEMENT.
I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS ARM STRENGTH IF IT WASN'T FOR THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL.
LIKE, 'CAUSE WHEN I WAS IN DELL'S CHILDREN, I WAS JUST, THIS AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT IS ALL I WAS ABLE TO DO.
JUST LIFT UP MY RIGHT ARM JUST A LITTLE BIT.
'CAUSE I ALWAYS BEEN RIGHT DOMINANT, BUT OVER THERE THROUGH EXTENSIVE THERAPY AND I PUT ON ALL THE WORK AND WE WORK TOGETHER AND I GOT WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
SO THE LAST FEW YEARS NOW YOU'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, RIGHT? YES.
'CAUSE BECAUSE BEFORE MY INJURY I WAS STUDYING IN TRAINING TO JOIN MARINES.
I WANTED TO BE A RECON MARINE.
I BELIEVE IN MY, IN MY HEART AND MY SOUL THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GIVEN.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS EARNED.
SO I DIDN'T, I, I DECIDED AGAINST GETTING A MARINE TATTOO
BUT I STILL HAVE THESE, JUST THESE WORDS RIGHT HERE.
THEY MEAN HONOR, HONOR, CURRENT AND COMMITMENT OR THE THREE CORE VALUES OF THE MARINE COURT.
SO EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A MARINE, I CAN STILL LIKE, BELIEVE IN ITS VALUES.
AND HAS, THAT'S MOTIVATED YOU? YES, THAT'S DEFINITELY HELPED ME OUT BECAUSE BEFORE MY INJURY I WAS STUDYING AND TRAINING TO JOIN MARINES TO BE A RECON MARINE.
AND SO SINCE I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, I DEDICATED MY WHOLE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER TO JOIN THE MILITARY AND BE THE MARINES.
EVERYBODY'S THAT, THAT, IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY THAT MET ME, THEY KNEW THAT I WAS GONNA JOIN AND I WAS GONNA MAKE IT BECAUSE I COULDN'T, I WAS, IT WAS ALMOST AN OBSESSION.
I, I WOKE UP, I WENT TO SLEEP THINKING ABOUT JOINING THE MARINES.
SO IT WAS A BIG PART OF MY PURPOSE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH THE MARINES NOW? YES.
LIKE A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS ARE IN IT RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE PROJECTS YOU DID IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM WAS TO WORK ON A, UH, DRONE, UH, THAT WILL BE USED BY A MARINE.
WHO DOES THE MARINE HAVE A DISABILITY OR HE'S JUST HELPING YOU? YES, HE HAS A SPINAL CORD INJURY.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK NOW AND WE'LL COME BACK AND, AND CLOSE, UH, JOSE, WE'LL TALK SOME MORE ABOUT YOUR MOTIVATION.
[00:20:01]
ON ABILITIES.WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WHEN YOUR GOAL IS TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY.
BOOK ONLINE WITH ECO PARK AND ECO PARK TWO.
TRAVEL, SMARTER PARK, SMARTER ECO PARK AND ECO PARK.
HEY, WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH JOSE AND VINCENT AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A WHOLE LOT OF SUBJECTS PERTAINING TO DISABILITY ADVOCACY AND RECOVERY FROM DISABILITY AND, AND, AND SO ON.
BUT, UH, JOSE, WE WERE, UH, DISCUSSING A PROJECT THAT YOU WORKED ON THIS SUMMER TO BENEFIT A MARINE WHO HAS A DISABILITY.
SO THAT, AS I RECALL FROM THE STORY, I HEARD, UH, THE, THE, THE MARINE WANTED TO FLY A DRONE.
AND YOU TOOK ON THE, UH, CHALLENGE OF FIGURING OUT HOW THAT PERSON WITH A SEVERE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT COULD OPERATE THAT DRONE.
WHAT, HOW DID YOU DO IT? WHAT DID YOU DO? I DID, UH, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.
SPENT A LOT OF HOURS ON THE WEBSITES AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT DRONE COMPANIES, LOOKING AT ITS CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES.
UH, THE MAIN THING THAT I FOUND WERE SENSOR SENSORS AND THE HEAD TRACKINGS WERE THE BIG HUGE COMPONENT INTO FLYING THE DRONE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE FOUND IT.
SO HOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FLY A DRONE IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD USE OF YOUR HANDS? RIGHT.
SO FOR THIS DRONE, IT'S UH, IT'S AN FPV DRONE.
SO IT HAS GOGGLES AND YOU'RE LOOKING, FPV MEANS FIRST PERSON VIEW.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE DRONE THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF ITS CAMERA.
SO THOSE GOGGLES ARE TRANSMITTING THE VIEW FROM THE CAMERA.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU'RE IN A COCKPIT, COCKPIT OF THE, OF THE DRONE AND THE SENSORS, THE HEAD TRACKING SENSORS.
SO WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR HEAD RIGHT OR LEFT, THE SENSORS ARE ON, THOSE GOGGLES ARE IN THE DRONE.
THE CONTROLLER HAS SENSORS AS WELL.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY FANCY ADAPTATIONS OR ANYTHING.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IS FIND A WAY TO TAKE APART THE CONTROLLER AND ITS SENSORS ARE IN THE CONTROLLER.
ALL, EVERYTHING THAT CONTROLS THE DRONE IS IN THAT CONTROLLER FROM ACCELERATION TO BRAKES TO TURNING TO CAMERA CAPABILITIES.
SO, SO THE, THE THE HEAD, THE, THE, THE CHIPS ON THE HEAD, WHAT MM-HMM
WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE ANYWAY? I MEAN YOU, IS IT A CAP YOU WEAR OR YOU JUST HAVE TO PLANT ELECTRODES IN YOUR HEAD? WHAT'S, WHAT'S, HOW, HOW'S THAT WORK? RIGHT? NO, IT'S NOT A CAP.
IT'S NOT YOU IN YOUR LINK EITHER.
IT'S A GOGGLES THAT YOU PUT ON AND THE HEAD TRACKING FEATURE ARE THE SENSORS THAT ARE IN THE GOGGLE.
SO, SO, BUT, BUT THAT ONLY CONTROLS WHAT DIRECTION AND HEIGHT? NOT ALL.
IT CURRENTLY JUST MOVES THE CAMERA UP AND DOWN AND IT MOVES THE DRONE TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT.
THE SENSORS THAT CONTROLS EVERYTHING ELSE TO MAKE IT FROM FLYING UP AND DOWN ARE IN THAT LITTLE BOX, ARE IN THAT CONTROL.
SO HOW YOU GONNA MAKE THE BOX ACCESSIBLE? WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TEAR IT DOWN THAT CONTROLLER AND CAREFULLY.
AND WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE GONNA PUT IT ON DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE FPB GOGGLES, THOSE SENSORS.
SO YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA FIX IT.
SO NOT ONLY DO YOU TURN YOUR HEAD SIDE TO SIDE TO MOVE THE DRONE, BUT MAYBE YOU LOOK UP AND THE THING GOES HIGHER.
OR YOU SHAKE YOUR HEAD A LITTLE BIT AND IT GOES FASTER.
YOU DON'T SHAKE YOUR HEAD TO ACCELERATE.
WE HAVE, UH, I CALL, I HAVE, I MADE A TEAM.
WE HAVE TWO TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE GONNA WORK ON THAT DRONE.
UH, AND I ALSO RECRUITED TWO ADVISORS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERTS AND, AND FPV DRONES AND RACING DRONES.
AND SO ONE OF OUR ADVISORS IS GONNA HELP US OUT WITH HIS, WITH HIS TOOL THAT HE HAS, WHICH IS A MOUTH, IT'S A STRING THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE GOGGLES AND IT'S A MOUTHPIECE, SO YOU BITE IT AND IT ACCELERATES THE DRONES.
SO IT'S LIKE A YOU'RE MAKING ME CRAZY HERE.
THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS COOL.
WELL, YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BACK WHEN YOU FINISH THE DRONE AND GIVE US, GIVE US A TALK ABOUT THAT AND SHOW US SOME PHOTOS.
AND, AND I BET THE GUY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP ABOUT WITH THAT IS GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY HAP HAPPY WHEN YOU GET IT FINISHED.
[00:25:01]
YES.UM, VINCENT, THOSE TYPICAL PROJECTS THAT THE, THE MENTEES TAKE ON IN THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE FACILITATING? YEAH.
SO THESE, UH, NO, THESE WERE ACTUALLY VERY UNIQUE PROJECTS FROM OUR, UM, FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY, UH, EVEN THEY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE OUT OF OUR LIKE ELEMENT, WE DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT DRONES.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TRIED TO JUST SUPPORT THEM AS BEST AS WE CAN AND, AND GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES, UH, TO FACILITATE THEIR PROCESSES.
YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO SUPPORT AND, AND TRY TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE, WE TRIED TO HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND, AND, UH, I HOPE WE, WE, I HOPE WE DID THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I I I REALLY ADMIRE THE WORK THEY PUT IN, 'CAUSE THESE, UH, PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THEY SEEM FANTASTIC AND I, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHEN THEY COME TO FRUITION.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY THE PROJECTS, I MEAN THERE'S ALSO A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES, UH, VIDEOS YES.
ABOUT RIGHTS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I, I FOUND IT INTERESTING, UM, JOSE, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE SIDEWALKS AND NOT BEING ACCESSIBLE TO YOU.
AND THAT, THAT REALLY FRUSTRATES ME BECAUSE, UH, WE AS CITIZENS, AS THE PUBLIC PAY FOR THE SIDEWALKS, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY COMES OUT OF THE TAXES THAT WE PAY AND, AND, UH, AND YET WE CAN'T USE THEM.
AND, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR.
AND, AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN ADVOCACY CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US TO, UM, TO GET SIDEWALKS IMPROVED AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE POINT OF SIDEWALKS IF YOU CAN'T USE THEM? AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE FIND A LOT OF NON-DISABLED PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED ON THESE BROKEN SIDEWALKS.
UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THEM FOR THEIR, TO PUSH THEIR CHILDREN IN A BABY CARRIAGE OR WHATEVER, CAN'T MANAGE ON THE SIDEWALKS.
SO I THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, AS A ADVOCATE, MAYBE THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT YOU CAN TAKE ON SPIRITUALLY.
'CAUSE I'M FROM CALIFORNIA, WE GOT SIDEWALKS EVERYWHERE.
I, I TRAVEL TO CALIFORNIA EVERY NOW AND THEN AND IT'S, I HAVE NO, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING 'CAUSE I'M FROM CALIFORNIA, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE SIDES OF, I LOVE TEXAS.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA JUMP ON YOU THERE.
NO, I LOVE, I LOVE THE TEXAS STATE.
AND, BUT THAT'S ONE THING THAT I, THAT'S VERY OBVIOUS IS LIKE, GETTING AROUND IS VERY, VERY EASY.
SO, SO THE, UH, THE PROJECT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THIS SUMMER HAS HELPED YOU BE A BETTER ADVOCATE YES.
WITH THE A DA LAWS AND THE LAW ASPECT OF IT THAT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF.
UM, VINCENT, A ANY CLOSING THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE ADVISING PEOPLE, UH, TEACHING THEM, HELPING THEM BECOME BETTER ADVOCATES? UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE A DISABILITY MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I, UH, I'M VERY, UH, GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY PROFESSOR FRIED GAVE ME TO REALLY LEARN AND, AND DELVE INTO, UH, THE WORLD OF, UH, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY ADVOCACY.
SO I JUST REALLY WANNA THANK YOU, JOSE AND, AND ANYONE ELSE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR GIVING ME THE EXPERIENCE AND, UH, AND TEACHING ME, YOU KNOW, MORE, MAYBE MORE THAN I'VE TAUGHT YOU, YOU KNOW, TEACHING ME MORE ABOUT THE WORLD AND YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW TO APPROACH IT, YOU KNOW, SENSITIVELY.
AND SO I, UH, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU AND PROFESSOR AND JOSE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL I CAN SAY IS JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BE TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE AND, UH, AND EMBRACE IT AND, UH, AND UH, AND GO FORWARD AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DO GOOD.
DO, UH, JOSE, YOU, UH, YOU, WHAT YEAR ARE YOU IN YOUR EDUCATION NOW? I'M A SENIOR IN SAM HOUSTON.
I'M IN THE LEAD PROGRAM THERE THAT'S HELPING ME OUT WITH MY ACADEMICS.
I AM STUDIED FOR MY BS IN PSYCHOLOGY AND EVENTUALLY I'M GONNA GO INTO MED SCHOOL TO BE A PSYCHIATRIST AND HOPEFULLY GET HIRED AT TIER.
WELL, THAT'S A, A GOOD OBJECTIVE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU AS A COLLEAGUE THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING ON THE SHOW TODAY.
AND, UH, VINCENT, THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE WITH, UH, JOSE.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
WE'VE HAD A, UH, VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION, LEARNED A LOT TODAY.
AND, UH, I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED IT AS WELL.
UM, AND I HOPE YOU TUNE IN NEXT TIME BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FANTASTIC SHOW COMING UP NEXT ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.