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Hector’s Story- Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month

CIL Storytelling and Marketing Intern, Melissa smiling in a profile photo.

Written by Melissa Donovan

 

38 years ago, Hector Del Valle was involved in a drunk driving car accident.  He was only 17 years old and was battling a major substance abuse problem. He hit two cars and a brick wall, leaving him with a life altering Spinal Cord Injury. Hector is now in a wheelchair and is paralyzed from the chest down. 

A photocopy of an article written by Hector Del Valle. An old image of Hector is surrounded by the text of the article he wrote.
A story written by Hector and published in a NAADD (National Association on Alcohol, Drugs & Disability) newsletter. In the writing Hector talks about the lack of accessibility in drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers.
“Today almost 38 years later I could honestly tell you that this injury has impacted my life by the power I give it,” Hector said. “Sometimes it’s my chariot of entitlement thinking I have every right to abuse myself and others and other times I’m humbled by it.”

Since the accident that caused his Spinal Cord Injury, Hector has been a major advocate against drunk driving. While he lived in New Jersey, he was a part of the effort of raising the drinking age from 18 to 21, and this gave him his first job in the New Jersey department of highway safety. Later, he moved to New York and landed another job as a Minority Outreach Coordinator for an independent living center. In 1997 he moved to Orlando in pursuit of his Masters degree in Social Work at UCF. At that time he was also working at one of the biggest substance abuse programs in the area where he was a major advocate for equal access to substance abuse treatment for people with addictions and disabilities on a national level. This later led him to become involved at CIL. 

Sylvia Longmire in wheelchair (left), Hector Del Valle in wheelchair (middle), and Amanda Perla Jereczek in wheelchair (right) wearing formal attire and smiling.
Sylvia Longmire, Hector Del Valle, and Amanda Perla Jereczek at the 2018 Celebrating Independence Gala event.

Knowing that this injury has left him to be dependent on others which also places him in a vulnerable position, he has created a “medical support network” of people he knows he can trust. As a board member of CIL, he hopes to be someone who others may be able to relate to and trust.

“CIL does their best to address and to advocate those rights of people with disabilities and caregivers who take care of them,” Hector said.  “The world is changing every day, our climate is changing, we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and we are already changing how we do health care. Hence, why we will need more individuals with SCI’s and other types of disabilities to provide mental health counseling to keep us all balanced as we navigate these world wide changes and how it’s impacting all of our communities.”

As someone who has faced the challenges that comes with a Spinal Cord Injury, Hector has some  words of advice and encouragement for anyone who may feel they can relate to him.

Hector in his electric wheelchair smiling with friends outside on a sunny bright day.
Hector with friends getting ready for the 2018 Stroll and Roll CIL fundraising event.
“Stay in motion and express yourself however you can,” Hector said. “Find your purpose for today, for tomorrow will take care of itself”