For much of his life, Robert W. Sendling lived a charmed existence. While most of the kids from the old neighborhood ended up dropping out of school or landing in jail, Sendling managed to graduate from prep school, earn a degree, and achieve tremendous success in his career. He was happily married to his soul mate, kept his body in fine athletic form, and enjoyed all the benefits of a productive, easy life.

Everything came crashing down, however, when a freak accident broke his neck, injured his spine, and stripped him of his ability to function independently in the world. A shell of...