早稲田大学在学時アメリカ留学中、海の事故で頸髄を損傷。医師からは今後自力での呼吸は不可、一生寝たきりを宣告されるが、決死のリハビリで退院。
早稲田大学を卒業後、2008年3月、26歳で NPO 法人ラーフを設立し、2011年までに3つの拠点を設立する。2015年には全国でも例の少ないNPO 法人から社会福祉法人化を実現。そして平成30年度新施設をオープンし、障がい者・高齢者の介護事業及び就労支援等、地域生活で必要なサービスを更に強化した。また、青年版国民栄誉賞と呼ばれる日本人間力大賞を2014年に受賞している。
著書『夢をかなえる挑壁思考』は第3版を数え、青年や経営者、障がい当事者に勇気を与えている。
この間、各地で講演活動を行い、平成30年12月末現在280回を超えた。
He injured his cervical spinal cord in accident at sea, when studying in the United States during Waseda University days. He was discharged from hospital after hard rehabilitation even though his doctor sentenced his bedridden life for lifetime, because he would not be able to breath by himself.
After graduating from Waseda University, at his age of 26, he established NPO Corporation “Laugh” in March 2008. In addition, he had established 3 branches until 2011.
He converted NPO Corporation into social welfare Corporation in 2015, which is fewer cases in Japan.
He opened a new facility in 2018 to more strengthen services in community life, including care services and employment supports, etc. for persons with disabilities and elderly persons.
He awarded Nihon Ningenryoku Award called Youth version of People’s Honor Award in 2014.
The third edition of his book “Challenging Obstructs and Announcing A Dream” was published. This book gives courage to young people, managers, and persons with disabilities.
He gave lectures in various places over 280 times as of December 2018.
私は小学生の時に陸上競技を始めて、中学生の時に棒高跳びに出会いました。
１２年の競技生活を経て、２００４年４月、私は棒高跳びのコーチになる為の経験と語学の勉強の為、単身アメリカのカリフォルニア州に留学しました。
それから３ヶ月後の７月１７日。語学学校の友人たちと初めてビーチに遊びに行った日、私は大きな波に打たれ、肩から下の動きと触覚、温感、冷感など全ての感覚を失いました。診断結果は、Ｃ３頸髄損傷（四肢完全麻痺）。当初私は、呼吸すらできない瞬きだけの身体でした。そして医師から告げられた言葉は「一生ベッド上の生活、呼吸機も外す事はできないでしょう。歩けるようになった人は世界中にもいません。」
私は絶望しませんでした。自分の人生をベッド上だと決められたことに憤りを感じ、「必ずもう一度立って歩く。世界初になる。」と強く誓いました。
まずは呼吸機を外すこと。機械に合わせて呼吸のイメージを重ねて必死に呼吸しようとしました。無理に外してみたりもしました。その度に窒息と呼吸困難。しかし、それを続けること半年、奇蹟的に身体が呼吸を始めました。それからも、四六時中呼吸の訓練。呼吸機を完全に外せたのは、それから１年後のことでした。
呼吸の訓練をしながら、感覚の訓練、手を手と感じること、足を足だと認識すること、座る訓練、手足を動かす訓練…特に座る訓練では、何度も気絶しました。しかし、どれも毎日続けました。
「もう一度立って歩くこと」諦めずに毎日続ける事で、ほんの少しずつ動きや感覚が返っています。そして今は３人に支えられながらではあるけれど、立って足を前に出す訓練をしています。
今は医学は日々進化しています。脊髄などの神経再生医療の研究も急速に進歩しています。今後、再生医療で脊髄神経は再生できるようになるはずです。そう期待しています。しかし、手術や治療で神経が繋がっても、手足の動かし方、座り方、歩き方を忘れてしまっていたら、神経が繋がっても意味がありません。
私と同じくもう一度何かをしてやろうと思っている方に、「希望を持って諦めずに努力を続けよう」と伝えたいのです。
When I was an elementary school student, I was in the track and field club. Later, in junior high school, I started my career as a pole vaulter.
In April 2004, after my twelve-year competitive career, I went alone to California in America to learn how to coach pole vaulting and study English.
My accident happened three months later. On 17th July 2004, I lost the ability to move below the shoulders, as well as all sensation. The accident happened the first time I went to the beach with my friends from language school.
I was diagnosed with a cervical spinal cord injury (C3) (quadriplegia). Immediately after the accident, I couldn’t do anything except blink my eyes. The doctor told me I would be bedridden on an artificial ventilator for my whole life. He also told me that nobody could ever walk after having a cervical spinal cord injury like mine.
But I never gave up hope. I felt bitterly resentful about being told I would be “bedridden for life.” I resolutely told myself that I would stand up and walk on my own feet. I would be the first man in the world with quadriplegia to walk.
The first step was to remove the artificial ventilator. I tried to breathe to the machine’s rhythm, imagining breathing. As a drastic measure, I also forced the doctor to remove the machine. But every time I tried to breathe by myself, I experienced suffocation and shortness of breath.
At last the miracle occurred. Half a year after my accident, I became able to breathe again without assistance. I did breathing training day and night. Finally, after one year had passed, I was able to remove the artificial ventilator completely.
It has been very hard training, but I have continued every day to this day. I have frequently fainted while trying to breathe by myself. At the same time as the breathing training, I did training to recognize my hands as hands, and my legs as legs.
The next step was to sit up and stand up.
The most important thing was never give up the dream of being able to walk by myself. Little by little, I was able to get back feeling and movement.
I am currently training to be able to take a step forward after standing up while being supported by three people.
Medical science is evolving day by day. The research into treatments for nerve regeneration, including those in the spinal cord and elsewhere, is making rapid progress as well. In the future, it will be possible to treat spinal cord nerves through regenerative medicine. This is what I hope. If it is possible to connect nerves by surgery and medical treatment, then a further step still awaits. You will need to remember how to move your hands and legs, sit up, and walk, and this will take practice.
I want to send a message to people who are in the same situation as me and who have the ambition to achieve something:
Keep on trying and never give up hope.
