Speaker inspires students after devastating accident

A victim of a drunken driving accident, who is now a best-selling author and speaker who delivers inspiring messages, will give a public speech at Rose Theatre at Southeast Missouri State University.

Before the accident occurred, Marcus Engel and his friends went out on a Saturday night after a hockey game and were heading to a local diner for a late snack, but they never made it there.

Engel was left blind and with catastrophic injuries to his face after being struck by a drunk driver during his freshman year in college, but that did not stop him from wanting to graduate.

According to his website, marcusengel.com, Engel went through large obstacles including more than 300 hours of reconstructive facial surgery and two years of rehab. Engel never gave up and stayed strongly committed to graduating.

This commitment would sustain Engel through two years of medical recovery, a six month stint at rehab school and one month of training with a new seeing eye dog.

Engel is the best-selling author of "After This: An Inspirational Journey for All the Wrong Reasons," "Everyday Inspiration," "I'm Here: Compassionate Communication in Patient Care" and "The Other End of the Stethoscope: 33 Insights for Excellent Patient Care."

Engel's website mentions that he holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Missouri State University and a master's degree in narrative medicine from Columbia University in New York.

Engel will present "The Other End of the Stethoscope - A Tribute to Health Care Professionals," that will cover techniques about improving patient care, along with his own life-changing experience.

In Engel's speeches, he challenges people to accomplish their life goals to the fullest.

Desma Reno, assistant professor in nursing, has been teaching at Southeast for almost 30 years. Reno said that for years, speakers have come to campus and presented related topics such as health care issues or a person sharing how they overcame a catastrophic injury that resulted in a life-changing experience.

"I had seen Marcus's story and felt this was an individual who had a message to share that would impact all of us," Reno said.

The event is being sponsored by the Department of Nursing and is made possible by a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.

Reno said the grant was more than $470,000 for a four-year period. The purpose of the grant is to better advance the nursing workforce in southeast Missouri.

Engel's website states that Engel's keynotes have been witnessed by thousands of audience members including major healthcare institutions, corporations, faith-based organizations and many of the country's top rated universities and colleges.

His website also states that institutions around the country, such as Columbia University, Clemson University, University of Central Florida, Missouri Baptist Hospital and Wake Med Health continue to use Engel's best-selling books as required reading for students and healthcare professionals today.

"He will provide a message that will inspire the audience to make intelligent choices, maximize their potential and achieve their dreams," Reno said.

The event will start at 2 p.m. on April 14 at Rose Theatre. The event is free to everyone. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to Reno at dreno@semo.edu or 573-651-2939.