Disability and Alcohol Awareness
Topic: In the Blink of An Eye
Date: Monday, October 26, 2009 – Room 314 (SE TECH Red Wing campus) – 11:00 a.m.
Guest Speaker: Mr. Marcus Engel
Southeast Technical will like to personally invite the public, to participate in the upcoming diversity programs hosted on the Southeast Technical campuses.
Marcus' stunning and honest account of the fight of his life. From average college student one minute, to clinging to life in a hospital bed the next, Marcus takes audiences deep inside his recovery after being blinded by a drunk driver. Audiences will experience the pain, frustration and loss that can happen in an instant, all due to one preventable mistake. Beyond your typical alcohol awareness presentation, Marcus blends an unforgettable Prevention message with significant amounts of humor, tips and insights for audiences to use to overcome adversity in their own lives.
Marcus Engel lived these horrific moments... but that is only the beginning of the story. On a cold autumn night during his freshman year of college, Marcus' life took a dramatic turn. Following a Saturday night hockey game, Marcus and some friends were headed to a local diner for a midnight snack. They never made it. As the carload of teenagers pulled into a busy intersection, a drunk driver traveling at twice the speed limit slammed broadside into the small Toyota; only a thin piece of metal separated Marcus from the full impact of the oncoming vehicle.
When he awoke to a world he would never again see, Marcus faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles: survive hundreds of hours of reconstructive facial surgery, adapt to blindness and find happiness in a world changed forever. While still restricted to a hospital bed, a feeding tube and respirator, Marcus set his goal: return to college as quickly as possible. This goal would sustain him through two years of medical recovery, a six-month stint at rehab school and one month training with a new Seeing Eye dog. Not only did Marcus accept and embrace the challenge, but the life lessons he learned are now the guiding forces that inspire hundreds of thousands every day.
Marcus' story has empowered, enlightened and entertained audiences around the nation to overcome personal adversity and make intelligent decisions. His autobiography, After This... An Inspirational Journey for All the Wrong Reasons has helped tens of thousands realize their potential and reach for new goals. His latest book The Other End of the Stethoscope is an inspirational tribute to health care professionals, offering insight and strategies for excellent patient care.