David grew up in Bogalusa, Louisiana with a love for swimming, waterskiing, and boating. On August 24th, 1984, David was about to go back to school and was enjoying being outside with friends. David was doing his usual “daredevil tricks” on a rope swing in his yard when the rope suddenly broke, and he went crashing to the ground. That day, at 15 years old, David suffered a C5 incomplete spinal cord injury.