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"We all get depressed sometimes, and we wonder if things will ever get better. I felt that way when I lost my ability to walk, but not for long. Why? Faith, hope, and love. I hope my story leaves you with those three precious gifts." --Gavin BIOGRAPHY OF GAVIN MILLER One second, Gavin was an invincible teenager fighting for athletic championships, perfect grades, and the right girl. But, the next second, he was a paralyzed child fighting for his life -- all because he made one mistake so many other teenagers make. He knew drinking and driving was dangerous, but he was an invincible teenager -- nothing could hurt him. Years of life-threatening conditions, emergency surgeries, and seemingly intolerable rehabilitation followed, but Gavin never gave up! At first, he was told he might die, but he lived! He was told that even if he lived, he would be paralyzed from his neck down forever, but he has movement down to his waist and feeling throughout his entire body! He was told he would be dependent upon others to take care of him, but he is completely independent, even after having to relearn eating, writing, driving, breathing, and living! He was told his future would be bleak, but he returned to high school and graduated with a 3.57/4.0 grade point average and then went to college. Finally, Gavin was told he would never have a successful career -- no one imagined he would have a career that would touch so many lives. Four years after his wreck, Gavin was required to deliver a motivational speech in college, and for the firsttime, he saw the opportunity to use his tragedy to save others. He told the audience his story, but in a very unique way — from the perspective of the people who love him the most, his mom, dad, little brother, and best friends... He touched the audience's hearts, and he reached them! The professor, for the only time in her career, awarded the speech a perfect score in every category, and afterward, she recommended Gavin speak professionally. He took her advice. Gavin immediately phoned the Louisiana state office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and volunteered to help them save lives by speaking. The woman with whom he spoke, Sue Little, recognized the sincerity and true compassion in his voice and, without even hearing him speak, booked him at a Baton Rouge high school. She conveniently forgot to mention, however, that he would be speaking to 2,000 students! The audience size was the least of Gavin's worries, because once the huge auditorium was filled with students, PBS television crews arrived to film his speech for a state-wide television special. Knowing the students' lives depended upon his speech being perfect, Gavin swallowed his nerves and spoke from his heart for 35 minutes. His speech received a standing ovation. Gavin quickly realized he could reach even more people through television, but only if the productions could impact the audience as deeply as his speeches. And with television, he had only 30 seconds to make his point, rather than 30 minutes. Gavin wrote his first commercial script with the tag, "My pain will never end. Your pain never has to begin. Don't drink and drive." The script was so powerful that it was promptly picked up by the first sponsor to whom it was submitted. Gavin was only 22, and he had already proven himself as a talented speaker, writer and actor. The next year, 1991, Gavin wrote and starred in three more television commercials, two of which were distributed to and aired by every network television station in Louisiana. That year, he signed with a model and talent agency in New Orleans, and he delivered over fifty speeches free-of-charge at elementary, middle and high schools across the state. Traveling by himself to all those speeches and, at the same time, attending college full-time in Monroe took their toll on Gavin. He was physically exhausted, academically stressed and financially drained. A decision between school and work had to be made, for he could not continue to do both. So, with 120 hours of college credit, Gavin chose to take a break from school to tour the United States, saving others through his message. In January, 1992, Gavin founded "Speaking For Life," an organization through which he could fulfill his purpose in life and still pay the bills by getting paid for speaking. Except for a short period when he employed a manager, he did EVERYTHING himself. He wrote and distributed the promotional materials, made countless phone calls, booked his own speeches and reservations, and obtained directions and contact information, while still traveling to the cities and delivering the speeches. In 1992 and 1993, Gavin gave nearly 300 speeches in six states. He even keynoted for the National Commission Against Drunk Driving and spoke alongside the U.S. Surgeon General and U.S. Secretary of Transportation in Washington, DC! The speeches earned him Professional Membership in the National Speakers Association. While out-of-town giving speeches, he received invitations to appear on two national television talk shows, Oprah and Geraldo. He also starred in another commercial and three more television specials, one of which was opened by the President of the United States and aired nationally on CBS to an estimated 10 million people. In 1994, Gavin returned to Northeast Louisiana University and graduated with a Bachelors degree in August of that same year. He then moved to Dallas to study acting. After his first audition at KD Studio, Actors Conservatory of the Southwest, he was accepted into the prestigious acting school. He also signed with a Dallas talent agency in less than a month after moving to the city. Three months later, he was asked to model for the J.C. Penney catalog, but scheduling conflicts prevented it. He later returned to Louisiana to take a vacation from speaking and acting. Between 1995 and 1998, even while on this "vacation," Gavin starred in another state-wide television commercial, another state-wide television special and a national documentary/drama video. He also gave another two dozen speeches. During the Summer of 1999, Gavin made his debut as a television Producer by writing, producing and playing the lead in a drunk driving prevention TV commercial that re-enacted the day he woke up paralyzed in intensive care after his wreck ... and realized all his dreams and all his parents' dreams were shattered. The commercial was called "What do you dream of?" and won a Citation of Excellence at the 1999 American Advertising Awards. Then, in Summer, 2000, he wrote, produced and played the lead in his eighth and biggest budget TV commercial called "Regrets," which won an Addy. Also that Summer, after a short-lived retirement, Gavin moved back to Monroe, Louisiana, and began speaking again, but this time his speech has a more positive focus. Rather than just allowing kids to relive his tragedy, Gavin now inspires them to live their dreams free of alcohol, drugs and violence. In 2004, Gavin turned his testimony into a 30-minute documentary film called "Paralyzed At 17," which won a Hollywood filmmaking award and, more importantly, is being used in elementary, middle, junior high and high schools across the United States and has reached countless students. Two years later, Gavin wrote, produced, directed and starred in his first narrative feature film called "False Hope," a fictional story that attempts to explain God's role in the tragedies of the world. Also in 2006, after the worst disaster in the history of his home state of Louisiana, Gavin made his third film called "Hurricane Katrina Through The Eyes Of The Children." In his career spanning nearly two decades, Gavin has done over 30 television and film productions and given hundreds of speeches to hundreds of thousands of kids at schools, conferences, corporations, camps, courts, treatment centers and churches ... all from his wheelchair. Gavin's dream in life, in his own words: "Life is about making a difference. I want to change the world, that's all. I want to touch people's lives in extraordinary ways!" When asked how his speeches and productions make such a difference, Gavin replies, "We can't just give up on kids today. I refuse to believe that some kids can't be reached. EVERY kid has a heart. Touch their hearts, and you'll reach them." *** THE END ***