Paralyzed man builds Lego masterpieces with one finger, a thumb and his mouth
Alaska man uses only a finger, thumb and mouth to construct elaborate sets
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Aging Untold) — Ten years after a motorcycle crash left him paralyzed below the waist, Mingo Graham has found a way to rebuild — one Lego brick at a time.
Graham said he was riding his motorcycle when he struck a pole at 110 miles per hour. He broke his C6 vertebra and woke up from a coma months later at Stanford University. The crash left him locked in a twisted position.
From isolation to creation
After arriving at a rehabilitation home in Anchorage, Graham said he did not leave his room for about eight months. When he did, he began building.
Since then, Graham has constructed an extensive collection of Lego sets.
“I built all this stuff with my finger, my thumb and my mouth,” Graham said. “Sometimes I will work on a technical part for hours.”
His first build was a Lego Harley-Davidson motorcycle — the same type of bike he was riding the night of the crash.
“This is my purpose”
Graham said the builds provide motivation and a sense of purpose.
“They give me motivation when I’m unmotivated,” Graham said.
Graham said his attitude and positivity often surprise people around him.
“People are always blown away by my attitude and positivity,” he said.
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