New to this board and wanted to share my scuba diving quest with all of you

[scuba diving Matt]

Hi everyone, my name is Matt. I wanted to share my quest to scuba dive with all of you. I am determined now to connect with others in Minnesota who have the knowledge to help. All my dive friends I have met so far are all over the country, it’s time to meet some in this neck of the woods! I also noticed that bunch of you go to Wazee Lake. I was there this past summer to meet Dick Long; I had a blast and cannot wait for next year! Dick Long even made me an honorary DOG. I’ve come to know Dick Long well after that and I’m best friends with his daughter Susan Long from DUI. They plan to donate a dry suit for me to use for my diving project.

Does anyone here know of any groups in MN that help disabled people go diving? I have been in contact with many handicapped diving groups but none here in MN. A little bit about me: I am 27 years old and vent-dependent with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Doctors said I have 9 lives for as many times that I have come close to dying.

I love everything to do with scuba diving and all the technology for diving. I love everything to do with underwater life too. (especially SHARKS!) I live in Woodbury, MN. I have one last goal I want to accomplish in my life and that is to go scuba diving! To me going diving would be the best thing I could do with my life!

If I could just be underwater to start with for 5 – 10 ft for 5 – 10 minutes that would be good enough! Of course I am hoping for a lot more time. I used to travel a lot; I have been to many different parts of the world.

I have contacted and received help from engineering professors, physicians, scuba organizations, researchers and others in my quest to dive. My story has been published in Dive Chronicles, the Pioneer Press here in MN, and on the Navy SEALS.com web site. The Woodbury bulletin and Diver magazine (UK) are currently working on articles about my dream too!

My doctor and other colleagues think it’s doable with the right equipment. Project Innerspace, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit agency that seeks to address critical human health issues through ocean exploration, already has agreed to sponsor me by contributing to some early-stage program development and project management. Mike Lombardi, who is on Project Innerspace's board and is also my friend said the group agreed to take on the project because it believes whatever ventilator is developed, will help everyone by advancing technology.

I have also been trying to get NASA involved, since astronauts are similar to divers. They have to train underwater also. I haven’t had any luck hearing back from NASA through Johnson Space Center. Any one know how to reach someone that could help me?

Please contact me if you know of anybody that could help. I’d be grateful for your advice or support. If you would like to know more about my quest to dive please check out my web site I am on a bunch of other dive boards, but I am mainly on Scuba Board. Scuba Board has been an amazing place to me to get in touch with other divers. I have made many great friends and their continued support keeps me going. I can’t wait to dive with the friends I have made here, from DUI and all over!

Sincerely,
Matt :