What I Can Do

A t age 27, her life changed in an instant.

A devastating automobile accident left Mary K. Hoodhood permanently paralyzed-facing a future she never imagined. What followed was not the end of her story, but the beginning of a remarkable life.

In What I Can Do, Mary K. shares lessons from more than four decades living as a quadriplegic-with courage, clarity, humor, and faith.

In this second edition, readers will discover how to rebuild identity after devastating loss, navigate the emotional realities of sudden disability, reclaim independence, and move from "Why me?" to "What now?" Along the way, Mary K. reveals how resilience grows through hardship, why community and advocacy matter, and how focusing on what you can do changes everything.

Honored with a presidential award for service and advocacy, Mary K.'s life is living proof that circumstances do not define destiny. Her journey speaks to anyone facing loss-physical, emotional, or unexpected-and offers hope grounded in lived experience.

This is not just a story about paralysis. It is a story about possibility.

If you have ever wondered how to begin again . . . this book will show you how.