Your Support Fuels Jimmy's Competitive Drive and Gives Him Hope

Happy Father's Day! Your generosity makes all the difference for fathers like Jimmy Brown, who live with spinal cord injury. You advance groundbreaking rehabilitation research to help Jimmy and others overcome their disabilities and live fuller, more engaged lives with their families.

Sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2004 at age 24 didn’t change athlete Jimmy Brown’s competitive personality. Jimmy approaches his post-injury rehabilitation with the same drive he exhibited on the playing field as a pitcher for St. Peter’s University—a Division I school.

“My ability to play competitive sports may have disappeared,” says Jimmy, “but my competitive drive remains. Over the years, I’ve joined many Kessler Foundation research studies, always pushing myself to get stronger,” he adds.

Today, Jimmy continues his quest to regain strength and function. He explains how some of the latest research at the Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation at Kessler Foundation has helped him.

“Because donors like you support advances in spinal stimulation research, I can pour a glass of water smoothly and accurately,” Jimmy explains. “That may seem small, but for me, improving fine motor skills in my hands and arms—with stimulation of my spinal cord—is life changing. Now, everyday movements and actions are possible. I can help my wife, Francine, with chores and even play catch with my kids. As a former pitcher, throwing a baseball around means a lot.”

Jimmy says the drive he sees in Kessler Foundation researchers and the unending support from donors motivates him every day. “Donors like you not only feed my competitive drive to work harder and achieve more, you fill me with hope.”

Watch Jimmy's Arm and Hand Function Demonstration on Our Reynolds Center Page