Meet Paul, a senior software engineer on the Angular Framework Team in Munich. This #WorldSpinalCordInjuryDay Paul took some time away from contributing to one of Google’s biggest open-source projects, a framework that powers web apps like Google Cloud to share his story and advice with us: “I had a motorcycle accident in 2020 that caused a severe spinal cord injury. I then started physical therapy and left the hospital with a wheelchair. I'm working hard to re-activate my muscles so that I can stand up and walk with assistance. This was a life-changing situation. Traveling with a spinal cord injury was scary at the beginning. Most of my team is located in the United States, so my job requires traveling occasionally. When I did eventually need to travel, Google supported me greatly, by allowing my brother to join and make sure I felt good. He was able to bring a larger walking device and my braces. Google also ensured I had the proper setup at home - an ergonomic chair with back support and a standing desk, so I can stand up during meetings, reduce sitting time, and increase overall well-being. One of the important aspects of a spinal cord injury I'd like to emphasize is the willingness to improve. You may be getting told numerous times that it's most likely no function will improve after X amount of time. I believe that you should continue to focus on working out; that doesn't necessarily mean working out physically, but can also mean focusing on your mind to connect to your impacted body parts. It's a great feeling, and from my experience can improve things drastically.” Learn more about #LifeAtGoogle, our benefits, and our employee resource group, the Disability Alliance → https://goo.gle/4egHtJJ
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