Paralyzed Nevadans praise Carter's stem cell stance
2006-10-31
Source: Las Vegas Review Journal
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rss feedTwo Nevadans who were paralyzed in high-profile automobile accidents encouraged voters Monday to support Democratic senatorial candidate Jack Carter because of Carter's support of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Cynthia Jay-Brennan, who won $35 million from Megabucks in 2000 and six weeks later was left paralyzed by a drunken driver, and Sam Schmidt, an Indy Racing League driver who crashed during a practice in Orlando, Fla. the same year, said that embryonic stem cell research was their key to walking again.
"It's our most promising research that's going to find a cure," Jay-Brennan said at a news conference outside of University Medical Center.
For Jay-Brennan and Schmidt, the road to recovery has been long and difficult, but both are active in the local community.
Schmidt remains a quadriplegic, although he has regained partial movement of his shoulders. He founded the Sam Schmidt paralysis foundation and hosted a fundraising golf tournament Monday.
Six weeks after winning a record Megabucks jackpot at the Desert Inn, Jay-Brennan was driving with her sister when she was struck from behind by now 63-year-old Clark Morse, who was found to have been driving drunk.
Jay-Brennan's sister was killed in the accident, and Morse fled the scene. He was convicted of drunken driving causing death and substantial bodily harm and other charges and is now serving time in the Southern Desert Correctional Center in Indian Springs.
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