On July 16, 1973 the unthinkable happened. Handsome, athletic, intelligent 18 year-old Rick D?Agostino dove into the swimming pool and became an instant quadriplegic. For his mother, Gilda, and the rest of the family it was as if the world had come to an end. A bright future had become dark. As Rick's family sobbed, they could not know what the future held. Instead of an end, the injury marked the beginning of a remarkable new life for the D?Agostinos. This is the story of how one family refused to be defeated by tragedy. And most of all, it is a mother's account of how her son triumphed over terrible adversity and in so doing gave new meaning to the old adage: ?Where there's life, there's hope.