Pushing, and more, through all the pain

It was a “Why not?” kind of day. Nothing holding him back but the turning of an engine.

Franz Wall wakes up one crisp November morning in 2020, packs his ski bag, brains and brawn and heads for the slopes.

Life is good. So good.

He often thinks it couldn’t possibly get any better — top of his college class, full U.S. Navy scholarship to dental school, a tall athletic frame with a movie star smile — all blessings he never takes for granted.

This 26-year-old fun, Spartan-running, woodworking sculptor is not only driven and devoted, but is also a man of unwavering faith in God. A positive energy and friendly attitude follow him everywhere he goes — he’s the kind of guy you want to dislike out of envy, but simply can’t.

His accomplishments fill him with great pride. He works hard to earn what he’s been given. Endless opportunities are on the horizon for this brilliant and talented Mariposa-fresh young man.

The end … and beginning

At Tahoe, the pristine views of the lake invigorate his spirit. It’s go-time. With gear on, skis planted and breath drawn, he rockets down the slope … ready to attack an upcoming jump.

And this is where it all ends.

And begins.

Uneven terrain and unexpected shadows blur the proper landing, which turns an epic jump into an epic accident — and beyond that, an epic story of many battles fought, lost and won.

The devastating accident crushes Franz’s spine, severs his spinal cord at the C6 vertebra, and breaks both hips and his pelvis.

Paralyzed from the chest down, he begins a five-year fight for survival. He endured “at least 14” surgeries, infection, pneumonia and time on a ventilator. He lies in a hospital bed for seven months before coming home.

Over time he’d also have 30 pounds of excess bone growth removed from both hips — the body’s way of “cementing” itself from further damage. The fight was real.

“I was told I coded in the ICU more than five times,” Franz recalls.

Realizing how broken his body was — and how broken his dream of becoming a dentist was — it only follows suit that his spirit would break too.

“I just wish I could die right now,” he said.

“The scariest thing was losing the ability to use function in my arms,” says Franz. He prayed, “God, make yourself known to me in this trial. Allow me to feel your presence. Fill me with the strength to persevere.

His priest encouraged him, “You’re only allowed to let go when your time is done. God will give you strength.”

No victim here

In the darkest time of his life, Franz learned to look over his circumstance, refusing to fall victim.

“I came to the profound realization that I want to be able to make the most of my life and serve God. Even the ability to serve Him is a gift from Him, and I trust that He’s gonna make the most of this — and that’s enough.”

With God as his guide, Franz has indeed made the most of it. Get ready to see how, “Where there’s a Wall, there’s a way.”

Since the accident, Franz has earned an MBA and works as CDA’s outreach and engagement consultant. Although still dealing with muscle spasms, he stays fit by working out every day and enjoys riding his adaptive bicycle.

He entered the National Veteran Wheelchair Games and went home with six medals in ping-pong, pickleball, wheelchair rugby, e-sports, adaptive fitness and pool.

A new talent has also emerged. Franz discovered he has quite the knack for pencil drawing. You’d never guess he hadn’t drawn such intricacies his whole entire life.

He drives a truck fitted with an adaptive arm that grabs his wheelchair from the driver’s seat and places it in the bed. He plays adaptive archery, video games and works with 3D printing.

A budding entrepreneur, Franz has several “gigs” he’s working on — including Mariposa gift baskets for tourists. He speaks for the California Dental Association and leads a men’s Bible study once a month.

And for all you gals out there secretly wondering — Franz is happily taken. Yes, there’s a gorgeous lady friend in the picture whom he spends time with on the weekends.

The newest venture

Most recently Franz published his first book, “Pushing Through the Pain.”

“It brought up a lot of painful memories, but I felt I needed to write down my story — I didn’t want it to get lost, and I always want to circle back to the fact that God is the center of everything. It’s so easy to let time pass by and not live life with purpose because you’re caught up in suffering, but if you push past that, we don’t have to worry. At the end of the day, God is The One in charge. Keep plugging along. We always fight for control.”

Franz’s words carry weight because his life has taken a victorious shift from utter despondency to utter contentment — an admirable, but difficult feat for anyone.

Inspiration pours out of him like a deep, steady wellspring: “You could say this is unfair, this is a worse life … but it’s OK to not know why. We just push through. We can’t help but use our intellect to try and understand things, but don’t rely on the why — relinquish that control to God.

“The best thing you can do is offer it up (to God) and don’t pity yourself. Make the most of it and don’t turn to outside sources to numb. Push, even when it’s raw. Push yourself to make a future. Whatever suffering you’re given, God always gives strength to get you through it. So much of the strength to fight comes from our foundation, and the grace of God. God has given me the ability to look ahead, and be happy and joyful.”

A new purpose

Franz is living with a new purpose now — one he’s perfectly content with, and he’s not afraid to share it with whoever asks … “I was playing frisbee golf and some jogger came up asking questions about how I’ve dealt with the lot I’ve been handed. I’ve had several of those kinds of meaningful conversations, and it’s so apparent that it’s the Holy Spirit inspiring them. I think, wow, I’m God‘s instrument in this situation, and whatever I can say, God will inspire. I want to bring about His glory in whatever way He sees fit.”

What lies ahead for Franz is uncertain.

“I have no plans for any more surgeries. There are some optional ones, and I’ve been told I may have to have another surgery to redrain the cyst in my spinal cord.”

But whatever comes, there’s no doubt Franz Wall will rise to each challenge and let it do its work to shape him into who he’s meant to be.

As for now, he loves living on a farm with his dog Nova, cows, horses, sheep, cats and chickens. He treasures his eight siblings, his nieces and nephews, and his two incredibly supportive parents, Christy and Walter, (who are also notable Mariposans in their own right).

Despite the great trials he’s been through, Franz chooses gratitude. He’s a striking example of how a man’s body may be crushed, but his spirit can still rise.

In closing, Franz leaves us with this: “Pain is bad, it’s horrible … and that’s OK. Pain is not something to get rid of. It can refine us — ultimately it’s a battle. It’s for getting ourselves and others into the next life (Heaven). The real reward in this life is for happiness in the next.”

To learn more about Franz Wall’s journey, check out his book on Amazon: “Pushing Through The Pain” — and stay tuned for a Christmas season book signing that will be announced in the near future.