“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” - Mahatma Gandhi. Michael has set an excellent example of strong willpower overcoming adversity. After summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, Michael suddenly suffered the effects of a rare neurological disorder that transformed him from an active runner to a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic. With his persistence, therapy and ample family support, he has started walking again. His inspirational memoir, “Two Mountains: Kilimanjaro to Quadriplegic and Back” is a story of courage and provide inspiration for others who are facing challenges. Michael is a thirty plus year veteran Senior Trial Counsel with the U.S. Justice Department. He continues to fight for civil and human rights through his advocacy for wrongfully convicted prisoners in the U.S. and abroad. His essays and other nonfiction work has been published in the Christian Science Monitor, Bethesda Magazine, and numerous travel websites.

What struggles did you face while recovering from your illness? How did your family help you during this period?M: The greatest struggle was the uncertainty of whether I’d ever be able to walk again or function independently in the essential things of life. Here I was, 52 years old, at the top of my game, having climbed Kilimanjaro with my wonderful new wife and WHAM, sudden weakness in all my limbs, cane to 4-pronged cane to walker and then into the hospital within a few months time, unable to walk or effectively use my hands. At first the prognosis was good -- in time I’d recover the neurologists said, but none of the treatments seemed to work. I only got worse. Thank God for my marriage to Terri just two years earlier. She was always upbeat, willing to sacrifice all her energy for me, even while she privately nursed fears that my affliction might become permanent. “What’s important is you are who you,” are she told me. “We’ll deal with this together, you and me, as we do everything.” And my daughter Jessica who had lost her mom to cancer was a blessing too, though fearful at first that she’d lose me as well.

What motivated you to keep going during your challenging time?M: What motivated me the most was the knowledge that people with my diagnosis (CIDP) can get better with treatment. The physical therapists are among the heroes of my story. Those therapists at the hospital, as well as my home physical therapist (who in my Two Mountains memoir I call Billie), convinced me that with hard work my muscles could be made to be ready when (and if) my nerves regenerated. Moreover, I knew that if I gave up in frustration I’d not only be letting myself down, but I’d be letting down my wife, daughter, and my close friends and colleagues who were cheering for me. You are who you are, I was told, so who was I?

What inspired you to write your memoir “Two Mountains: Kilimanjaro to Quadriplegic and Back”? Who can benefit from this book?M: The funny thing is that when I retired as Senior Trial Counsel with the Justice Department in 2006 and took up writing in place of law, I was intent on writing about legal cases resulting in injustice, including civil and/or human rights abuses – a passion of mine. A friend convinced me that I should instead write about my illness and the struggles I faced. I was reluctant at first. “Who’d be interested in that,” I wondered, but as I engaged with other writers in writing workshops, it dawned on me that my story might indeed encourage other folks facing sudden disability or unexpected challenges midway through life to persevere as I did. In my memoir I try to paint a full picture of the man I was before my illness struck – child, husband, single dad, lawyer, friend and adventurer. What I show is that I was quite an ordinary fellow, often impatient when even little things went wrong. Therefore, if I could face a sudden crippling illness at age 52 and keep on fighting, surely others could as well.

Can you tell us your experience as senior trial counsel at US Dept. of Justice?M: I started out as a young lawyer in the Voting Section within the Civil Rights Division, where in the course of trying cases I met some of the stalwarts of the Civil Rights movement – a dream come true as I’d come of age during the civil rights tumult of the1960’s. Later, I shifted to the Environmental Torts office within the Civil Division where, due to my trial experience and organizational skills, I was promoted to Senior Trial Counsel. This meant defending the government in complex personal injury cases, some of which involved scores of plaintiffs and lengthy trials. One such case involved the disposal of hazardous waste by a Navy contractor at a residential landfill, and took 10 years and several trials to resolve. Ultimately, the plaintiffs’ injury claims were not born out. I suppose I learned something about perseverance in handling complex cases.

Who is your favorite author? Which of his/her work do you admire the most?M: The question is quite broad so please allow me to break it up. I can’t name just one author, I’m afraid. Since my one and only book is a memoir, I’ll focus on that genre first. I particularly admire Jacki Lyden (Daughter of the Queen of Sheba), Jeanette Walls (The Glass Castle) and Maya Angelou (I know Why the Caged Bird Sings). Each of their memoirs is personal and engaging with a strong emotional pull. In the area of civil/human rights, I greatly admire Bryan Stevenson (Just Mercy), who writes powerfully about his efforts in defending poor African Americans and juveniles in uphill court battles against a system weighted against them. In modern fiction, I love stories about the French resistance (Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale) and escaping slavery (Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad). Perhaps the best book I’ve read in the past year is The Homegoing by Yaa Gyassi, a saga that follows two women and their descendants beginning with the Middle Passage and all the way through the 20th Century.

Who is your inspiration?M: My greatest inspiration is my wife, Terri, who stood by me for better or for worse notwithstanding the looming potential for a future of full time caregiving. I was always grateful that my illness surfaced after rather than before we married. We were a good match, devoted to each other before my illness and even more so as we struggled through it together. I don’t know whether I could have survived my struggles without her – certainly not as well. Shifting focus and wearing my lawyer hat, Bryan Stevenson (who I referred to in the previous answer), is my inspiration for the work he has done as founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, defending juveniles and poor African Americans railroaded by an abusive criminal justice system.

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you love about that place?M: Here again there is no one place that I can point to. I love travelling to different places, especially to exotic lands, which I’ve done quite a bit with my wife. For that reason we’ve never invested in a vacation property, leaving us free to travel abroad. I’ve published several travel pieces, some of which you can find at my webpage: michaelscadron.com (on the page titled “Writings”). Ironically, one of the best travel experience was the trip we took to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro just prior to my illness. On that same trip, before the climb, we took a weeklong safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater and spent a relaxing week in Zanzibar after the climb.

What are your other hobbies?M: Reading, writing, attending writing critique groups, travel, dining on hot, spicy food, and spending time with our grandchildren (a boy of 7 and a girl about to turn 3), take up most of my time.

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who want to become an author?M: If you’re not an experienced writer, I wouldn’t quit your day job too hastily, but I’d urge you to take writing classes, join writer critique groups and secure for yourself a window of time everyday that is yours alone for the purpose of writing. Also, reading is by far the best preparation for becoming a good writer, so you can’t read too much. If you specialize in personal essay or memoir, write honestly and from the heart. A good book is Writing From the Heart by Nancy Slonim Aronie.

Any special message for our community?M:  If you are struck by a sudden or unexpected affliction as I was, you are likely to feel a mix of emotions such as anger and fear. Just know that life isn’t always fair. Be open to any and all support from family and friends, and be especially grateful for what you can do. You owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and supporters to keep fighting and not give up. You are who you are, as I was often told. You may be surprised at your inner strength and your willingness to persevere. At times you may be tempted to ask “why me, why now?” That’s okay. You’ll find no good answers but it’s okay to ask. Then fight some more.