Sam Schmidt, Indy 500 Driver
Transportation Award (2004)
Winner: AVIS Access
Received by: Bob Chips, Regional Sales VP, AVIS Access
Sam Schmidt has taken the passion and commitment that made him one of America’s top race car drivers and focused it on creating a broader awareness of spinal cord injuries and the research necessary to find treatments and cures for them.
He was a former Indy Racing League (IRL) driver who became spinal cord injured during a practice session in Orlando, FL in January 2000 and diagnosed with a C/3-4 injury. Initially he was placed on a ventilator and the attending physician told his family to place him in a nursing home since he would be unable to do anything the rest of his life. Sam’s family decided that was not an option and after much research placed him in the care of Dr. John McDonald, the same physician that treated Christopher Reeve with extensive physical therapy.
After much work and determination, the ventilator was removed and while Sam is still paralyzed from the chest down he is able to breathe on his own. Sam continued his dream of racing and is now a successful team owner in the Infiniti Pro Series of the IRL traveling over 120 days a year (commercially) managing his team and doing work for the Foundation.
The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation was formed while Sam was still in the rehabilitation hospital in St. Louis. At a time when most people would be asking “Why me?”, Sam quickly understood that he was actually one of the lucky ones. He had his faith and a strong support system that included not only his family but the vast motorsports community. He realized that he had insurance coverage that would be necessary to cover the tremendous costs his recovery would take. By comparison with some of the other patients he met, he also understood that many if not most people in his situation were not so fortunate and he vowed to do something about it.
To do this, he created the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (SSPF) which raises the necessary dollars to increase awareness of spinal cord injury and the impact it has on the patient and family, for medical research to develop cures and effective therapeutic treatments for paralysis and most importantly, to provide new injured patients and their families with the psychological support and resources to help them lead productive lives. The objective is to provide tools to keep the family intact. SSPF also funds quality of life programs throughout the country benefiting people with paralysis and other disabilities and through its national Day at the Races programs. Sam and the staff of SSPF work tirelessly in their advocacy efforts both locally and nationally on behalf of the disabled.
In 2005 SSPF hosted 500 spinal cord injured people and people with other types of paralysis at its Day at the Races program held at seven speedways around the country. In addition to providing people with resource materials on vocational training, sports programs and disability equipment, they distribute information and sample letters encouraging attendees to contact their Senators in Washington and become their own advocates. One of the program’s purposes is to encourage peer mentoring between newly injured or paralyzed people and those whose paralysis occurred previously. This interaction provides hope and emotional support for everyone involved.
Lunch and an inspiring program at the Andretti Green Racing hospitality tent is followed by a tour of the garage and pit areas, a presentation by Bridgestone Firestone and the opportunity to watch the IRL race. The drivers and team owners are always very gracious in signing autographs and answering questions.
Sam feels it is imperative to instill a sense of ‘community’ and self-worth by supporting those who are newly injured. In doing so, he has affected so many lives in a positive and enriching way.