How Medicaid helped Gerald Christian rebuild a life of purpose after paralysis

TennCare Medicaid gives people the opportunity to live fully after tragedy. Gerald Christian— born and raised in Savannah, Tennessee— now lives independently in Murfreesboro, where he teaches at Middle Tennessee State University, his alma mater. Gerald holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in degrees spanning psychology, professional counseling, and health and human performance—fields he chose to pursue because of his own personal experience. 

At sixteen, Gerald was a star football player with dreams of playing in college. All it took was one accident to upend his future: “My truck hit a guardrail and flipped off a bridge,” he recalls. “My head hit the window and crushed my spinal cord.” The accident left Gerald quadriplegic, paralyzed from the armpits down. Although Gerald explains he “can’t use [his] legs, fingers, hands, triceps, stomach, back or chest,” he was quick to point out that he never lost his mind. 

After the crash, Gerald’s parents— both full-time schoolteachers— cared for him as best they could. Today, his aging parents are facing health issues of their own. His father, now in his seventies, has lost much of his mobility due to health complications. “They have their own stuff going on now,” Gerald says. “That’s why Medicaid and home health workers are crucial.” 

With his parents no longer able to provide the same level of support, in-home caregivers through TennCare have become essential to Gerald’s independence. Now 42 years old, Gerald lives in his own home. His caregivers help him start and end each day— assisting with showering, dressing, and meals— so he can live independently, work, and contribute to his community. “They help me get dressed, help with breakfast and showering and get me in my chair; that’s when I can make it for a while and manage by myself,” he explains. “Then I do what everyone else is doing: try to live a normal life.”  

Because of this support, Gerald can live and work in his community instead of in an institution. He drives a modified vehicle, teaches college students, and mentors young people, many of whom are living with newly acquired disabilities. Recently, he helped a student and former softball player— who had lost her arm due to a nerve block that got infected— connect with disability accommodations and community resources on campus. 

Gerald reflects on the life he has built with TennCare:  

“It’s a shame to imagine all of the people I would have never inspired or helped if I was just wasting away in a nursing home for no reason the last 25 years. Medicaid saves our country money to support me in the community— the government would be paying double to keep me alive in a nursing home. Listen, I wouldn’t wish disability on anyone anywhere. However, it is part of life and if your family ends up in rough shape, you will see that these medical prices are outrageous and you will be so thankful for the support. We can’t do anything alone, that is one thing I’ve had to accept. No one wants to pay taxes for example, but if chipping in a few dollars each buys your loved one's future support, you would not regret it.” 

Outside of work, Gerald enjoys concerts, gaming, and playing drums on a setup adapted to his needs. “John Stamos got me a drum set for my birthday,” he says proudly. “It’s a cool setup where the drumsticks are tied to my hands.” He also gives motivational talks to teens by sharing his own story. “I could never have imagined how I could have a disability,” he says. “And here I am.” 

To Gerald, Medicaid is what makes this life possible: “My body is broken and doesn’t work, but through programs like CHOICES, if taxpayers chip in to pay for my physical care, my brain works great and I can use it to pay taxes to chip back into the same pot and help you and your loved ones.” 

TennCare did not just keep Gerald alive. It allowed him to keep living. As Gerald puts it: “Services like Medicaid and CHOICES are fundamentally crucial to our country’s success. Trust me—if you or your child is suddenly hit by a drunk driver or diagnosed with cancer, you will need and be thankful for support.”