Stories From Main Street: Rockland Man Paralyzed In Surfing Accident Bolstered By Supporters
NEW CITY (CBSNewYork) - A Rockland County man left paralyzed in a surfing accident is remaining KeenanStrong, thanks to a team of supporters and friends.
As WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported, Billy Keenan is an Irish-American musician, Army veteran, history teacher and triathlete.
"Thank God the last seven months we've come a long way. Aside from being in this chair, I'm pretty much back to myself," Keenan said.
The New City husband and father was paralyzed following a surfing accident at the Jersey shore last fall.
"I was very lucky to survive that accident. There was one surfer in the water, his name was Eric Hoblitzell. He saw me come up but I was face-down. He got me out of the water," Keenan told Adams."The luck starts there that I survived the accident at all. And there were just angels around us."
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Friends have started keenanstrong.org to organize fundraising concerts where they'll also sell recordings to help support the Keenan family.
Concert will be held Saturday, May 3 in Yonkers and Mineola. Another concert will be held Sunday, May 4 in Tappan.
"I have limited movement of both my right and left arm. So every single day, occupational therapists are making me move and I have started to get limited movement in both legs," he told Adams. "It sounds cliché, but you count your blessings. I thank God I have my life and I have my mind and I have my family. Through KeenanStrong, I have literally an army of people that lift me up every single day."
Keenan said he views every day as a gift.
For more information on the upcoming concerts, click here.
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