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Accident Leads Alumna to Successes
4/23/2007
 Imagine a high school graduate, college-bound on a dance scholarship, departing in five days to a new state, a new life. And then imagine that new life upended by a dive into shallow water. For Emily Conner the resulting quadriplegia was a life-changing event resulting in a radical revision in plans.
Upon returning home in November 1996 after three months in rehab, Emily’s mother insisted she apply to the University of St. Thomas. Now, 10 years later with both a B.A. and a J.D. under her belt, Emily credits her mom’s insistence and her experience at UST with propelling her back into life and a mission as well.
As neuroscience research has progressed, reversing catastrophic injury and paralysis has shifted from a question of feasibility to a matter of when. Emily’s mission has been to advance this research and the timeline. She was instrumental in establishing the TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) Emily Endowment whose mission is to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
This endowment has more recently evolved into Mission Connect, a unique $30 million collaborative research project of the Texas Medical Center’s medical schools, led by TIRR. Emily’s understandable zeal for the project has resulted in a financial boon for Mission Connect: she has helped raised millions of dollars on its behalf with the passion reserved for those who truly know the cause.
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