Drunk driving victim to speak at WWU

2/27/2012 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Marcus Engel, whose life was dramatically altered by a drunk driver, will share his story of survival and perseverance at William Woods University Monday, March 5.

Engel will speak at 7 p.m. in Cutlip Auditorium of the McNutt Campus Center at WWU. The event, which is part of the President's Concert and Lecture Series, is free and open to the public.
 
A professional speaker and author, Engel inspires and empowers audiences nationwide. His extraordinary account of recovery after being blinded and catastrophically injured challenges individuals to achieve success by making intelligent choices.
 
It was a normal autumn night in Engel's freshman year of college when he and some friends went out for a bite to eat after catching a hockey game. It was a night that changed his life forever.
 
A drunk driver, traveling at twice the speed limit, ran a red light and slammed into the car Engel was riding in. When he awoke in the hospital, he was severely injured and could no longer see. It was then that he vowed to return to college as soon as possible.
 
The Missouri native achieved his goal of returning to college a mere two years later. Now a graduate of Missouri State University, he is working on a Master of Science degree from Columbia University in New York City.
                                                           
Engel is the author of two books: his autobiography, "After This"¦.An Inspirational Journey for all the Wrong Reasons" and "The Other End of the Stethoscope," a book about the dedication and compassion of healthcare professionals.
 
He continues to be active in such organizations as the Seeing Eye, the oldest organization for the training of Seeing Eye dogs; Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).
 
"We decided to invite Marcus to campus because one of our students heard him speak and was impressed with his ability to communicate with the audience and give encouragement on working through obstacles to gain success," said Brenda Foster, community development officer and member of the President's Concert and Lecture Series Committee.
 
"There is no doubt that someone in the campus community has experienced, or a family member or friend has experienced, the tragedy of a vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver," explained Foster.
 
Not only did Engel accept and embrace the challenge, but the life lessons he learned are now the guiding forces that inspire hundreds of thousands every day. He travels the country speaking at various colleges and universities about his experiences and how they changed his life. His keynote speech revolves around the theme of "change the things you can," words that were spoken to him by his high school principal.
 
"Change the things you can. We're all going to have adversity come our way. That's just life. But we also have power and the ability to control how we view that adversity," Engel says.
 
For more information on Engel's program at WWU, contact Foster at 573-592-4219 or Brenda.foster@williamwoods.edu.