Personal Story by Michael Vestal, Mayor of Tonganoxie, KS and 3R Consumer

My new life as a quadriplegic began on the late evening of September 9th, 1970. I was just 19 and my hopes of becoming a Deputy Sheriff ended. I was critically injured in a car accident. I was taken to Kansas University Medical Center, where I was in a coma for 2 weeks. The doctors had told my parents to make plans for a funeral, but by the grace of God and my perseverance, I awoke. I spent the next 6 months recovering from my injuries. I made the decision those months that I would not give up and I would make the best of a bad situation. I was released from the hospital and was on a waiting list to enter a rehabilitation center in Kansas City, Mo. I spent a month in rehab learning how to transfer and learned how to better cope with my disability. I never gave up and was always upbeat and was not going o let anything get me down.

I had been home about 6 months and decided I was going to get back in the work force. I was hired at a sheet metal company where I answered the phone and did billing. I was there for a couple years and the new Police Chief in town knew me and knew my passion for law enforcement. He came to me and asked if I would be Tonganoxie’s Police Dispatcher. Of course, He did not have to ask me twice. I finally was given the opportunity to be involved in something I loved. I started in April of 1974, and never looked back. That job created new opportunities. I was asked to also dispatch for the New EMS service and the Southern part of my County. I worked for those two agencies for about 15 years until our county got a 911 service. I still dispatched for Tonganoxie, as I still do today.

In 1978, I received a Law Enforcement achievement award from the Kansas Attorney General. That was a great honor to receive such an award that only a few have received. In 1980 I was given a Youth Service award from the local Sertoma group and in 1992; I was named Citizen of the year, another great honor.

My career has not just been in Law enforcement. I was asked to run for City Council. I ran and won election in 1989 and served for 8 years until 1997. I took a break from politics until 2007 where I was asked to run for Mayor. I won the election in April of 2007 and am currently the Mayor of the City of Tonganoxie.

I have been very fortunate to have a great support group in my life from family and friends. You must never think your life is over because of your disability, but a new beginning to a different life.

---

Read More