Profiles: Brooke Ellison
Defying All Expectations and Living An Extraordinary Life
Brooke Ellison has overcome all the obstacles life has thrown at her and and turned a personal tragedy into a story of hope for millions.
On September 4, 1990, eleven-year-old Brooke Ellison began her first day of junior high school.
Before they parted ways that morning, Brooke’s mother Jean said to her daughter, "I want you to remember everything that happens to you today. Don't forget anything, even the little things. Promise?" (Miracles Happen, Brooke and Jean Ellison, Reader’s Digest, January 2002).
Little did Jean know that the entire Ellison family would clearly recall that day for the rest of their lives.
Some friends talked Brooke into walking home from school instead of taking the bus. In an instant, accompanied by the screech of brakes, Brooke was left paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator to breathe.
Brooke spent nearly one year in the hospital, recovering from her injuries and adjusting to her new life as a vent-dependent quadriplegic. She kept up with her studies while in the hospital and returned to school the next year as an 8th grader. Upon returning to school, Brooke reunited with friends and found a place where her intelligence could thrive. However, she also found inaccessibility and the school board’s unwillingness to pay for the registered nurse that she would need as an aide.
This is where her mother Jean stepped in. Jean was more than capable of doing everything her daughter needed, including the medical aspects of her care. Jean decided to become Brooke’s full-time caregiver, even following her daughter to Harvard University.
In June 2000, Brooke graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and was elected by her class to give the commencement speech. Brooke graduated with a degree in cognitive neuroscience, a combined major of psychology and biology. She continued her education by graduating from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with a Master’s degree in public policy and is currently a doctoral candidate in political psychology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
After her graduation, Brooke focused mainly on public speaking. She has traveled the country delivering her message of hope and inspiration to schools, colleges, businesses and other organizations. Although the audiences vary widely, the message is basically the same. Brooke draws upon her own experiences and obstacles to give the message that anyone can overcome their circumstances.
Brooke tried out her political aspirations in November of 2006 when she ran for New York State Senate. Her campaign focused on healthcare, education and housing, with a special emphasis on disabled New Yorkers. Brooke founded her campaign on the belief that government has an important, problem-solving role in our lives. Although she did not win and has not announced whether she will run again, one of Brooke’s main political focuses continues to be embryonic stem cell research. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Genetics Policy Institute.
This September will mark 18 years since Brooke Ellison’s accident. She has defied all medical expectations and has become the longest-surviving vent-dependent quadriplegic. As long as her mind remains sharp, Brooke will continue to live her extraordinary life.
