(Editor’s Note: In 2011, Matt Lorton realized a longtime dream. He published a book he called, “Quad’s Corner: Tales from the Crip.” I was humbled and honored to be offered a small, supporting role in this dream when Matt asked me to write the foreward. Sadly, not too long after the book was published, Matt died. Shortly before his passing, while attending a play at The Muny, Matt marveled at the size of the audience and was said to have wished he could one day reach a crowd of that magnitude. What Matt never knew – was that his reach far exceeded that of The Muny. Moreover, Matt continues to positively impact people with his humor, his example and his compassion – to this day. Before I share the foreward and a little bit more about Matt with you, I have a few words I’d like to share with my cousin. Matt – thank you for always making me think a little harder, believe a little more faithfully and laugh a lot louder. I love you.)
At one time or another during our lives, we’ve encountered some conflict, problem, or hardship. And our friends and family members try to pump us up with the usual suspects – those go get ‘em mantras that may read a little differently but all basically mean the same thing. You know what I’m talking about – things like – “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” “The glass is half full.” “Whenever God closes a door, he opens a window.” “In every cloud there’s a silver lining.”
I don’t know the efficacy of these little bits of wisdom. And despite their prevalence, I have to admit that I don’t know a lot of people who actually embody such positive energy on a daily basis. I don’t know many individuals who live by the preceding mantras – who ponder their significance beyond the time spent confronting conflicts, problems, or hardships.
And then again, there is my cousin – the author of this book – Matt Lorton. Positive energy personified – Matt is the man running the lemonade stand. He’s the guy who makes sure all of the glasses are half full. Matt is the guy who ignores the closed door and heads straight for the window. Matt is the silver lining.
Fortunately for us, that silver lining has chosen to share some of his pearls of wisdom, his sense of humor, his life, his trials, and his victories in this book. Moreover, I have the honor of writing this foreword – or introducing his book to you. But first, I need to acquaint you with my cousin. Because before you turn to the real page one, there are a few things you need to know.
Matt is about 46 years old. He is married and has five daughters. He has a very large extended family and circle of friends. Matt is a beloved member of the Calhoun County, Illinois, community where he was born, raised, and continues to make his home.
Life has not been a bed of roses for this good-natured man. He’s survived major floods as a neighbor of the Illinois River. He buried a parent. And did I mention he lives in a house with six women?
Seriously though, in 1999 Matt broke his neck in the family’s backyard pool. His wife, Lisa, saw it all unfold from the sun porch. While Lisa was nursing their youngest and looking on, Matt was splashing around with friends and his four older daughters. The swimmers taking turns jumping over a raft. When it was Matt’s turn, inexplicably, his foot got caught on the edge of the raft, flipping him forward and shooting him forcefully to the bottom of the pool. In that moment of laughter and splashing and fun – Matt became a quadriplegic.
I will leave it to Matt to share this event in more detail, but suffice it to say, his life was changed forever. Or was it? I’m not really sure. Because as unbelievable as it might sound, Matt has never been bitter, depressed, or angry about his circumstance. Matt has never needed someone to tell him about the silver lining. Nor did he need directions to the open window. Matt already knew all of that and didn’t forget it when he lost feeling from the neck down.
Matt has taken on what life has handed him with enthusiasm, creativity, grace, and a sense of humor. Fortunately for avid readers like you and me, he’s written about it. Prior to his accident, Matt had accumulated over 25 years of experience in the construction and real estate development businesses. Following his accident, initially, rehabilitation became Matt’s life’s work. After two years of physical therapy, however, Matt and Lisa made an important decision, “We either rehab for the rest of our lives or get on with life.” They got on with life. For Lisa – that meant returning to full time nursing. For Matt – that meant returning to school. After earning a B.S. in Organizational Leadership, Matt went on to receive a Master’s in Communications.
While studying, working, and helping to raise his family, Matt also found time to share his experience with other accident victims. He was often called on to be a peer counselor – providing the kind of support no one else could offer to someone recently hurt in an accident and finding themselves in a similar position as Matt. He also spoke to medical students. In addition, he happily obliged when TV stations came calling right before the summer swim season opened – as they looked for people to interview for swimming pool safety stories.
Getting on with life didn’t stop there. Matt and Lisa formed a company – Life Assist Unlimited. Matt became an Americans with Disabilities Act specialist. He started to do more public speaking. He still enjoys talking to schools, churches, service clubs – anyone really – about change, about people with disabilities – about the importance of focusing on what you can do in the world.
Matt is a story teller by nature. He comes from a long line of story tellers. His father, my father, our grandfather – they all had this innate ability to make the most mundane seem exciting and compelling. Family get-togethers were never complete unless there was time spent sitting around the kitchen table listening to one of our elders talk about surviving life in the city on a diet of bologna, bread, and ketchup.
Matt is also quite funny. Again – I think it’s genetic. I’m convinced of it. What’s more, I’m going to go out on a limb and hypothesize that not only has the sense of humor gene not skipped a single generation in the Lorton family, it has somehow multiplied or become magnified in quite a few family members. They are funny, funny people. And I am not exaggerating when I tell you that it is virtually impossible to escape the company of a Lorton without hearing these words, “Did I tell you the one about the…?”
With all of that being said, it should come as no surprise that not too long after Matt’s accident, he started a regular e-mail column which he calls “Quad’s Corner.” Over the years his recipient list has grown from a few friends to literally hundreds of people. In his column, Matt reflects on his life, on all of our lives. He mixes humor with his common sense point of view to share his thoughts on politics, religion, and the challenges of his daily life.
Matt talks about his first time behind the wheel of this equipped van. He talks about the nightmare of having mechanical difficulties (with his wheelchair) while at the supposed “happiest place on earth” – Disney World. He talks about friends in need of prayers. He talks about his family and friends. He talks about his dog, Jake, and his run for the mayor’s post.
In an effort to show it all – and to be completely authentic and honest – Matt dispels the myth of TMI – too much information. Matt talks about needing help to use the bathroom and to get dressed in the morning. He talks about the assistants who see him when he is most vulnerable. No stone goes unturned, as they say.
This book is a compilation of all of those stones. This is a collection of Matt’s “Quad’s Corners.”
To have Matt’s writings reach this stage is the realization of a longtime dream. He’s always talked about publishing the “Quad’s Corners.” I never doubted for a minute that it would happen. When Matt says he thinks he can do something – he can – and he does. I’m privileged to play a small role in seeing this dream come to fruition.
Part of that role is to relate one more important piece of information. In the publisher’s effort to support Matt’s authentic self, the “Quad’s Corners” are printed exactly as they appeared in their original form. No one edited for typos or weeded out the grammatical errors.
I applaud the publisher for taking this tack. Because in my mind, these things, that might look like critical missteps by the English major, are things of beauty. Moreover, without them, we’d not know the entire story. Removing the typos would be like removing a few random pages from any book or like reading the CliffsNotes version of this one. In this book – it’s all of it together – the content and the context – that combine to deliver the message. In this case, the content is the story Matt is telling and the context is that when Matt is drafting a column, he literally forces a pencil into his curled hand and uses what little upper body strength and muscle that he might have to throw his hands toward the keyboard.
What we get from his genius and unrelenting self is a gift. And I don’t know about you but I want it all. I want the note, the wrapping paper and what’s inside – even though I already know a little bit about the contents – it’s got a beautiful silver lining.
(Final note – you can find Matt’s book by clicking here.)
Life After Ted 
