Once-paralyzed man realizes dream of becoming sheriff

<p>One morning more than a decade ago, Thomas Smith woke up and his feet wouldnt move.</p><p>Twenty minutes later, he had trouble breathing. Soon he was in the hospital.</p><p>So much for his lifelong dream of becoming a sheriff, Smith thought.</p><p>But today, hes reached that goal.</p><p>Smith, 43, has twice been elected Washington County sheriff. Last month, Gov. Sonny Perdue gave him the sheriffs 2003 Public Safety Award for achievements including being the first in the country to offer a GED program for county inmates.</p><p>The best thing you can say about Thomas is he overcame adversity and he helps his people, said Terry Norris of the Georgia Sheriffs Association, where Smith will become president next summer. Hes tougher than a lightered knot. He has been through so much adversity.</p><p>In 1991, Smith was so paralyzed he had to wink once for yes, twice for no.</p><p>If a friend hadnt arrived at Smiths house when he did, Smith believes he would have died.</p><p>I couldnt figure out why this had happened to me, Smith said. It got to a point where I asked God to take me away.</p><p>Smith was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare but rapid onset of weakness or paralysis in which the bodys immune system typically attacks the body itself.</p><p>The syndrome can be triggered by vaccinations and it has no known cause or cure. In Smiths case, a flu shot sparked the disease.</p><p>Smith was paralyzed from the neck down, and he spent five months on a ventilator, at times feeling like somebodys driving nails into you.</p><p>The day after he prayed for his life to end, he began to get better.</p><p>Thats when my feelings became so strong about God, said Smith, who has turned one room of his jail into a chapel.</p><p>Now hes nearly completely recovered.</p><p>He wears ankle braces, has lost some grip in his right hand and speaks with a gravelly voice because of scar tissue that built up on his vocal chords.</p><p>Smith said he wanted to be a sheriff ever since he was a child.</p><p>He went so far as to skip school so he could spend time at the police station.</p><p>As sheriff, he decided to help inmates better themselves.</p><p>Smith and Sandersville Technical College started offering the GED program about two years ago. Because inmates spend a relatively short time in jail, those who want a GED are given an evaluation exam, and the program focuses only on what they need.</p><p>Some critics have told Smith they think criminals ought to be working on the side of the road, not taking classes.</p><p>That was on my mind when I was thinking about these programs, he said. But I know its the right thing to do.</p><p>The jails also offer weekly Alcoholics Anonymous sessions and will find drug treatment programs for misdemeanor offenders awaiting trial.</p><p>Information from: The Macon Telegraph</p>