About Tasha Schuh
Growing Up
Growing up I was a happy-go-lucky kid. I was raised in a great home with wonderful parents
and two older siblings. Our family was very busy, as my parents' owned the local grocery
store in a small town in Wisconsin.
In school I was very active in volleyball, theatre, choir, band, basketball, National Honor
Society and SADD. I also took piano lessons, voice lessons, worked at my parents store,
babysat, and was in 4-H. As a teenager, I was happy and really enjoyed life, but I deep
down I had questions about life and really felt I was missing something. I began to search
for more by making poor choices. I really thought these things would make me feel whole
but I was severely mistaken.
Tasha's Drama
My sophomore year in high school, I began getting involved in theatre. I loved to sing so I
auditioned for the musical, “Grease.” I had hoped for a chorus role, but I guess I was a
better singer than I thought because I got the lead role as “Sandy.” I was so excited.
Performing was a great experience so I auditioned for the “The Wizard of Oz” my junior
year. I was cast as a chorus member and was looking forward to being part of the technical
side of theatre.
We had practiced for two months and were down to the last week before the performance.
It was very hectic with so many rehearsals. Also, the previous weekend a good friend of
mine was in a major car accident. I was really worried about her, and had a hard time being
at play practice. It was Tuesday, November 11, 1997, and little did I know that as I worried
about Sarina’s future, my future was about to change forever.
As a chorus member, we were required to do scene changes. A scene change was
supposed to take 30 seconds. However, the previous night one particular scene took 6
minutes! Because this scene change took so long, our positions were changed. As I was in
position for the scene change, unbeknownst to me, a trap door was removed behind me.
Someone told me to move out of the way, and I took one step back and my foot went
through nothing. I fell 16 feet to a cement floor. That day my life forever changed.
When I arrived at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester MN, I learned that I had severely crushed
my spinal cord at the C-5 level which left me a quadriplegic. The prognosis was that I would
never walk again. I was confused, sad, angry, and depressed. I couldn’t imagine my life
being in a wheelchair, and really wanted to give up. I thought there was no point in living
and that I had no future.
As time progressed, though, I decided that even though this situation was unfair I needed to
have a positive attitude. This was a great decision because it has helped my outlook on life
immensely.
Changing Drama
Since then I finished high school and decided that I would go on to college. I attended
Winona State University and graduated in December 2003 with a major in communication
studies and a minor in music. I then moved home and started the following fall at
Maranatha College for my bachelor’s degree in theology in which I graduated in June of
2007.
Today I have overcome so many things that I never thought possible. I have since learned
how to drive which is only one of the many obstacles that I have overcome. God has made
my life whole and has given me peace and purpose. I have learned so much about life,
myself and faith that I could never go back. I have learned the importance of attitude, and
that anything can be overcome. Some days I have to pinch myself because I can't believe
how good my life is.
I have been speaking for churches, organizations and schools for over 7 years, and my
desire to share my life story remains. My passion is to see lives inspired, empowered, and
ultimately transformed. To learn more about my speaking at schools click here. To learn
more about my speaking at churches click here. Click here to contact me.
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