Help me walk again

Hi everyone... my name is Michael Beam and my friends call me Mike. Here's my story.

15 years ago, at the age of 19 my life was forever changed.

I was a young man, with my entire life ahead of me, spending time with my girlfriend (at the time) at her apartment relaxing and enjoying life. She was a great person who had a troubled family. Suddenly, and without warning her Stepfather came to the apartment in an intoxicated state. He was consumed by drugs and alcohol and was not in his right mind, and he was looking for a fight. I was the unfortunate victim of his violence, we fought over nothing. He was just a sad man wanting to hurt someone. Unfortunately, I was that someone.

I was thrown through a plate glass living room window from the 6th floor of the apartment building.

6 stories up. That's 57 feet.

My life flashed before my eyes, and I struggled to find something I could grab onto. I miraculously caught a concrete beam underneath the window; managed to climb down 1 floor and tried to then shimmy my way around the building.

Mother Nature had other plans for me, and a torrential downpour ruined my day.

I slipped and fell 5 stories, shattering my life.

My ribs, ankles, shins, and back were damaged beyond recognition.

As I lay there on the ground I wondered if I would survive.

I was stabilized with rods and pins in my feet, a metal bridge in my spine and a newfound terribly difficult and challenging life.

I've been through a lot since then, countless sessions of chiropractic therapy, massage therapy, as well as physiotherapy, but nothing sticks.

I am confined to a wheelchair at 35 years old, unable to walk, and I live in pain and discomfort every day.

MRI's revealed that the damage done to the spine is why.

Fast forward 15 years, and there's a glimmer of hope yet!

Stem cell treatments have come a long way, and there's a chance it could get my body on the right track of healing itself. Canada offers very little financial help with stem cell treatments and Ontario Provincial Disability Support provides even less. I've reached out to the Ministry of Health and have discovered there are no options for Federal or Provincial Financial support for the treatment that can change my life for the better.

I have an opportunity to travel to Thailand for a life changing series of Stem Cell Treatments and after the consultation I had with them last night, the Doctor does believe that he can make strides. I just need help to pay for it. All $30,000 of it plus travel costs.

This opportunity gives me hope for the future, and I hope you will find it in your heart to help me achieve my dream of one day walking again and regaining my independence.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my story and for donating to help me raise the money to pay for my treatment.

Mike