Book excerpt: We all dream about what we want to do for the rest of our life. We plan, train and work hard as we develop our skills in our chosen field. But what happens if a catastrophic illness or accident suddenly takes away all our physical abilities? This is what happened to Charlie, a man that author Don Davis cared for as an orderly back in 1967. Charlie's attitude and outlook on life were so positive, so optimistic, that he made an indelible impression on the young Don Davis and has continued to inspire him even to this day. Charlie, a big, strong truck owner and driver, falls asleep at the wheel and crashes his eighteen-wheeler. He falls asleep a whole person and wakes up paralyzed from the neck down. The job prospects for quadriplegics are dismal but Charlie persists, even though his fellow quadriplegic roommates refuse to focus on rebuilding their futures. Surrounded by defeatism and depression, Charlie will not be deterred. This story is about the strength of the human spirit when faced with apparently insurmountable obstacles. Charlie's Quest takes you on a journey like no other.