Josh Shumaker
Foundation Recipient
Josh Shumaker
Josh’s Story
After Josh graduated high school in 1997, he worked two summers as a drafter at
CM Engineering in Columbia, Missouri while attending Linn State Technical
College. After graduating from Linn State in 1999 with an Associate’s degree in
design drafting, he continued with CM Engineering full time. While there, he drew
mechanical and electrical plans primarily for commercial buildings.
On November 1, 2001, Josh was involved in a MVA and ejected from his truck!
The accident crushed his T-1 vertebrae, resulting in paralysis from the chest down.
He also suffered a collapsed lung, a broken collarbone, and several broken ribs. For
the next 10 months Josh was in rehab and returned to CM Engineering in
November 2002. He continued working there until 2018, when he made the move to
Mid Missouri Engineering Alliance where he is still employed.
After 16 years, Josh said it was time to find a new vehicle. He was able to save up for the vehicle, but the cost of putting in driving controls and a lift for his wheelchair was unattainable. Those features without the vehicle itself cost $48,000! Josh began online research for organizations that could help and found our foundation. He also contacted the Travis Roy Foundation and the Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for assistance. We featured Travis Roy in one of our newsletters some years ago.
After 16 years, Josh said it was time to find a new vehicle. He was able to save up for the vehicle, but the cost of putting in driving controls and a lift for his wheelchair was unattainable. Those features without the vehicle itself cost $48,000! Josh began online research for organizations that could help and found our foundation. He also contacted the Travis Roy Foundation and the Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for assistance. We featured Travis Roy in one of our newsletters some years ago.
Thanks to your continued support, the foundation was able to help Josh.
Both the Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Travis Roy
Foundation came through with grant assistance, so between the three Josh was able
to secure the required $48,000 in funding for the vehicle renovation. “Paralysis has
many side effects, and my out-of-pocket medical expenses run about $1000 per
month,” Josh told us. “That doesn’t leave much extra at the end of the month when
trying to live independently on your own. My nearest family is almost 3 hours away,
so having a reliable vehicle to go to work and handle day to day needs is a must.”
“Right now, it takes roughly 15 minutes each time I get in or out of my truck, which leaves me in the rain, snow, cold or heat for most of that time. This new lift system is covered from the elements and cuts the time to more like 15 seconds! I pass up a lot of activities because of the time it takes to get in and out of my current truck, so this would be a major improvement,” Josh continued. When the funding was finalized in order for Josh to have the work completed, he said, “Finally a light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you so much for all your help in making this a reality. This will absolutely change my life.”
“Right now, it takes roughly 15 minutes each time I get in or out of my truck, which leaves me in the rain, snow, cold or heat for most of that time. This new lift system is covered from the elements and cuts the time to more like 15 seconds! I pass up a lot of activities because of the time it takes to get in and out of my current truck, so this would be a major improvement,” Josh continued. When the funding was finalized in order for Josh to have the work completed, he said, “Finally a light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you so much for all your help in making this a reality. This will absolutely change my life.”