Alex's Story
Alex Jackson doesn’t have time for a spinal cord injury...
Go to Alex's blog, Tuesday Talk with Alex!
Alex Jackson doesn’t have time for a spinal cord injury. More aptly put, the Charleston native doesn’t have the time to let his spinal cord injury slow him down. A recent College of Charleston graduate, Alex feels like he didn’t miss out on anything even though he lived at home while completing his degree in communication. “I was on campus more than I was off, between group projects, choir rehearsals, and activities at night and on the weekends,” he said.
His active college life also included hosting a weekly show on the school radio station, an undertaking he jumped into as a freshman and continued for the next four years. His interest in journalism was sparked years earlier when he tagged along with his mother to local TV and radio stations. A Charleston pediatrician, she was often asked to speak about health care topics, and Alex was “fascinated seeing the reporters live and in action.”
Injured at the C5/C6 level in a car accident when he was only nine months old, Alex grew up with a wide range of interests and the tenacity to adapt to any obstacles that affected his participation. “My mom has been my biggest advocate,” he said, explaining, “I would ask her about something new I wanted to do, and she would tell me to try it out and see how it goes.”
Currently working on a masters in communication at the College of Charleston, Alex’s calendar stays full. When he’s not hitting the books he’s either volunteering at the disAbility Resource Center or gaining public relations experience at a part-time job with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic in Charleston. Add to that his involvement with his church youth group and serving as assistant scout master for a local Boy Scout Troop and you have – well, Alex Jackson.
“I enjoy being active and stay really, really busy,” Alex said about his approach to life. Though he’s not so busy that he doesn’t have time to just hang out with friends. And where does he do that? Rattling off a number of favorite spots, Alex sums it up with a simple description. “Anywhere there is food,” he said with a smile.
