Like most business professionals, Jeanna Hancock experiences her share of stress as operations leader with Hargrove Home Inspections. But she was inspired by the harrowing tale Terrence Sansbury shared as guest speaker at this month’s CSRA Home Connections meeting on Wednesday, May 11.
Sansbury, who has worked for the Wilson Family YMCA for 22 years, discussed many adversities he has overcome throughout his life, most notably a 1999 motorcycle accident that severely damaged his spinal cord and left him wheelchair-bound.
“This wheelchair doesn’t define me,” he said. “My motorcycle accident doesn’t define me.”
Instead, Sansbury defines himself as a fighter and go-getter. His determination and perseverance particularly resonated with Hancock.
“As an able-bodied person with no disabilities, it’s amazing to see someone with a lot of disabilities overcome those,” she said.
Sansbury was traveling at 200 miles an hour without a helmet when he lost control of the bike. That’s the last thing he remembers about the accident. Sansbury was in a coma for several weeks and when he woke up, he couldn’t move or even talk. After leaving the hospital, Sansbury’s life became more of a challenge.
“My depression grew deeper and deeper, and I began to have suicidal thoughts,” he said.
His daughter pulled him out of his depression by telling him she wanted to have fun with him again. Sansbury went to an amusement park with her and another family member, who, much to his surprise, put him on a roller coaster.
On the ride, he raised his hands and yelled, “I’m alive!”
After that, Sansbury developed a list of goals, which included becoming a teacher. He attended Augusta Technical College, where he earned a degree in early childhood care and education. Sansbury then took a job working with children as a Prime Time teacher at the YMCA, which he refers to as “the best job ever.”
Like Hancock, John Kaeser, owner of Pop-A-Lock, a local locksmith company, was inspired by Sansbury’s story.
“It’s easy to find a reason to quit,” Kaeser said. “He found reasons to keep going.”
