Friends For Michael, Inc. Spinal Cord Injury Organization was founded in 1997 when eighteen-year-old Michael Brent, a bright student and talented athlete was injured in an automobile accident.  He was on his way home from PGA's Valhalla Golf Course where he had been working as a caddy, when he blacked out and ran off I-71 in Oldham County .  When he woke up he realized he was paralyzed.  Life changed rapidly for the young man who was just eighteen days away from leaving for college where he had earned an academic and golf scholarship.  Michael had sustained a C-3/C-4 spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic.

As days and weeks went by Michael's friends came to Frazier to visit and offer their support, but they wanted to do more.  They wanted to make sure that Michael had everything he needed when he came home.  Some of his high school friends held the first fundraiser, a car wash that made over $1600.  Soon others were coming up with ideas to raise money.  Golf scrambles, hymn sings, bake sales, tractor pulls, and raffles followed.  The group had named themselves Friends for Michael and things had really taken off.

Soon the idea of a run/walk was born and the first annual Friends For Michael 5K Run/Walk was held in Campbellsburg , KY on October 18, 1997 .  During the following year we helped the Brent family with several items needed to insure that Michael had a good quality of life.  We helped with the purchase of a van; building a ramp so Michael could get into his house and some expenses not covered by insurance.  Our small community banded together with such force, we were able to reach out and help other spinal cord injury victims, not just Michael.

In November 2000, while making a donation to the University of Louisville for the Spinal Cord Research Center, we were surprised with an offer to join forces to raise funds for spinal cord research and to continue our work to help individuals with spinal cord injuries.  On March 10, 2001 , we were notified that University of Louisville Football Coach, John L Smith, had volunteered to become our Honorary Spokesperson.  With the hard work of all our workers and the partnership of the University of Louisville , we are hoping to reach many more individuals and raise a lot of money for research.

Our organization has gotten bigger than we ever imagined, largely due to Michael, who continues to be an inspiration to us all.  He has an eagerness for life and the will to make something positive out of a bad situation.  His situation has made us all aware that these things can happen to us.  Everyone needs to be aware that when a tragedy like this strikes, it can take a toll both mentally and financially on family and friends.  For people like Michael, living a normal and productive life is a dream that we hope to fulfill through research.  Participation in our events by people like you will make this happen.

Be sure to visit the new website & update your bookmarks!