Dean Wardak was unsure about going back to school but then he joined York University in 2018 at age 25. Five years later, he received a degree in professional writing, magna cum laude from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies during York's Spring 2023 convocation.
"Not bad for a quadriplegic with a brain injury, eh?" asks Wardak who crossed the convocation stage in a wheelchair.
A Mississauga native, Wardak has come a long way since he became a quadriplegic as a teen, after a drunk driving accident nearly killed him. "I suffered a brain injury and spinal cord injury from the accident, in which emergency responders found me without vital signs, trapped inside my half-crushed car," he says speaking about the crash that made headlines in 2011. "My life seemed like it was going to be filled with darkness for the remainder of it."
At the time, he also wondered if it was a smart choice to return to school, considering the amount of time he had to dedicate to physical rehabilitation.
But his therapists convinced him that going back to school was important for the rehabilitation of his brain. "Thank god my recovery exceeded the expectations of doctors and other medical professionals," says Wardak, who first joined Sheridan College and graduated with high honours from the General Arts & Sciences program in 2016.
His recovery not only gave him the motivation to thrive, but also moved him to spread hope and positivity to others looking for inspiration.
"I originally became a public speaker because I wanted to discourage people from drinking and driving. I felt like I had to use my story to prevent people from making the same mistake I made," says Wardak. "I slowly learned, though, that I had more to offer to my audience with my story, so I transitioned to being more of a motivational speaker."
Since then, Wardak has given numerous talks to church and youth groups, at police seminars and high schools about his near-death experience, recovery and more importantly how he still finds the strength to achieve great things with his life.
"The talks I give now make people laugh, cry, smile, and most importantly, it gives them hope. My story shows people the strength they can have when battling life's challenges and that discipline and hard work can produce amazing results in all aspects of life. It tells people that love is a powerful force that can give families, friends and individuals the strength to support each other through adversity so that we never have to suffer alone."
Hoping to touch the lives of people around the world who are looking for inspiration from those like himself, Wardak decided he wanted to write a book related to his experience.
"I wanted to get a university education in writing, so I joined York University, which made my experience of going to university remarkable. I also wanted to prove to myself that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to."
Wardak has already started writing copy for the book, though he hasn't decided if it would be fiction or nonfiction. "The draft I am currently writing is a fictionalized version of my story to enhance drama and maintain some confidentiality. However, I am considering the idea of writing a reflection book that outlines my story without fictionalization and emphasizes the life lessons related to all of my experiences after the accident."
Whether Wardak writes a true story-based fiction or an autobiographical nonfiction, he hopes his story will inspire many.
