Museum Honors paralyzed Diver
On the shallow reefs of the Florida Keys, quadriplegic scuba diver Matt Johnston made diving history in November 2006 when he became the first ventilator-dependent diver to make successful open-water dives. And the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum on Islamorada has commemorated the event with its "Diving the Dream" exhibit, opened Aug. 13, 2008. Johnston donated his specialized diving equipment, which includes a ventilator-compatible air supply system and a custom-made DUI drysuit, to the exhibit. Along with his history-making dives, 32-year-old Johnston also wrote a book, Manual for Ventilator-Dependent Quadriplegic Diving, which provides a blueprint for making scuba a reality for other similarly challenged divers-to-be. divingmuseum.org
On the shallow reefs of the Florida Keys, quadriplegic scuba diver Matt Johnston made diving history in November 2006 when he became the first ventilator-dependent diver to make successful open-water dives. And the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum on Islamorada has commemorated the event with its "Diving the Dream" exhibit, opened Aug. 13, 2008. Johnston donated his specialized diving equipment, which includes a ventilator-compatible air supply system and a custom-made DUI drysuit, to the exhibit. Along with his history-making dives, 32-year-old Johnston also wrote a book, Manual for Ventilator-Dependent Quadriplegic Diving, which provides a blueprint for making scuba a reality for other similarly challenged divers-to-be. divingmuseum.org
