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Brooke Ellison was hit by a car in 1990 at the age of 11 while she was on her way home from school. The accident left her paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator-dependent. Despite her physical situation, Brooke was determined to continue with her life. Her accomplishments have included honors in poetry, science, math, and literature. Brooke's most notable accomplishment, though, occurred in 2000, ten years after her accident, when she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University. Brooke graduated with an A- average in cognitive neuroscience, a combined major of psychology and biology. She gave a commencement address for her Harvard graduation in June of 2000.
In January of 2002, Brooke and her mother, Jean Ellison, published a book entitled The Brooke Ellison Story, which documents their family’s experiences from the day of Brooke’s accident until their graduation from Harvard in 2000. Their book was recently made into a movie, directed by Christopher Reeve and aired on A&E on October 25, 2004. Brooke, now 27, has also graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with a Masters degree in Public Policy and had been enrolled in the Ph.D. program in political science at Stony Brook University.
Since her graduation from Harvard in 2000, Brooke has worked as a public speaker, delivering the message of hope and motivation, and strength in the face of obstacles. Her audiences have been many and diverse, as she has spoken to members of the medical community, business corporations, politicians, community members, students, and nonprofit organizations, traveling across the country to do so. Brooke’s recent and most notable engagements have included such opportunities as delivering a congressional briefing on stem cells, serving as commencement speaker, and participation in Bob Benia’s “Smart Talk” Women’s Speaker Series, which brought her to audiences in Cincinnati and Minneapolis. She has also spoken to groups in New Orleans, Washington, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, CT, and New York City. Although the specific message differs from audience to audience, Brooke focuses her attention on hope and motivation, using her own experiences as a vehicle to convey the message.
Brooke’s latest endeavor is her campaign for a seat in the New York State Senate in 2006, with the message of optimism and hope for the future as her campaign’s central theme. Information about her candidacy can be found at her website, www.brookemellison.com.
The details of Brooke’s life have been widely covered in such publications as The New York Times, People Magazine, USA Today, Newsday, Biography Magazine, and The International Herald Tribune, as well as, such programs as Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, and Larry King Live. In each of these appearances, Brooke has expressed her desire to have an impact on the world, stating “wherever there is a condition of discouragement or inopportunity, that’s where I hope to be.”
In January of 2002, Brooke and her mother, Jean Ellison, published a book entitled The Brooke Ellison Story, which documents their family’s experiences from the day of Brooke’s accident until their graduation from Harvard in 2000. Their book was recently made into a movie, directed by Christopher Reeve and aired on A&E on October 25, 2004. Brooke, now 27, has also graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with a Masters degree in Public Policy and had been enrolled in the Ph.D. program in political science at Stony Brook University.
Since her graduation from Harvard in 2000, Brooke has worked as a public speaker, delivering the message of hope and motivation, and strength in the face of obstacles. Her audiences have been many and diverse, as she has spoken to members of the medical community, business corporations, politicians, community members, students, and nonprofit organizations, traveling across the country to do so. Brooke’s recent and most notable engagements have included such opportunities as delivering a congressional briefing on stem cells, serving as commencement speaker, and participation in Bob Benia’s “Smart Talk” Women’s Speaker Series, which brought her to audiences in Cincinnati and Minneapolis. She has also spoken to groups in New Orleans, Washington, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, CT, and New York City. Although the specific message differs from audience to audience, Brooke focuses her attention on hope and motivation, using her own experiences as a vehicle to convey the message.
Brooke’s latest endeavor is her campaign for a seat in the New York State Senate in 2006, with the message of optimism and hope for the future as her campaign’s central theme. Information about her candidacy can be found at her website, www.brookemellison.com.
The details of Brooke’s life have been widely covered in such publications as The New York Times, People Magazine, USA Today, Newsday, Biography Magazine, and The International Herald Tribune, as well as, such programs as Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, and Larry King Live. In each of these appearances, Brooke has expressed her desire to have an impact on the world, stating “wherever there is a condition of discouragement or inopportunity, that’s where I hope to be.”