Walk of the Centipede

“A revealing tale of loneliness and camaraderie, dissonance and intimacy with hospital staff, and pain and triumph as one man struggles to reclaim body and spirit after a devastating accident.” -Ed Boyd, Ed.D, psychologist and educator Frank Garfunkel, dynamic teacher, activist, and sports enthusiast, slammed headfirst into the wall of a squash court. Suddenly a quadriplegic in a rehab hospital, he found himself facing the existential absurdity of total helplessness. Unable to write about his experiences, he documented his ordeal in a series of probing conversations with longtime friend, Jay Clark. Ironically, Frank, a professor of special education at Boston University, devoted his career to waging battles for the rights of the disabled. Fate catapulted him into the greatest challenge of his life. In twenty transcribed conversations, Frank spoke with Jay about a neurological system in chaos, “You’re operating a puppet, and the puppet is you.” Following a three-month hospitalization, Frank returned home, relieved to be in familiar surroundings but facing endless attempts to regain control of his “Everest/Death Valley” life. His conversations with Jay reveal daily encounters with vulnerability, bewilderment, and depression but also with laughter, gratitude, and love. Walk of the Centipede is the story of a fiercely independent man faced with utter dependence.