# data[].attributes.headline
James Langevin (US Congressman) Paralyzed

# data[].attributes.subject
James Langevin (US Congressman) Paralyzed

# data[].attributes.body
- 1980: Age 16
- Police cadet in the police locker room when a police officer accidentally fired his weapon, a 45 semiautomatic
- Bullet ricocheted off one of the lockers and lodged into Langevin's upper throat, damaging part of his spinal column
Photo Link

AG

# data[].attributes.body
The accident left James Langevin with spinal cord damage, causing him to become a quadriplegic. This left him with absolutely no use of his legs and limited use of his arms.
Photo Link

AG

# data[].attributes.body
The spinal cord injury stemmed from the sudden, traumatic blow of the gun shot. This severed his spinal cord between the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae.

AG

# data[].attributes.body
Damage to nerve fibers
Chest (thoracic) or lower back (lumbar) injury can affect your torso, legs, bowel and bladder control, and sexual function. A neck (cervical) injury affects the same areas in addition to affecting movements of your arms and, possibly, your ability to breathe.

ME

# data[].attributes.body
The first step after surgery to conquering his disability was for Langevin's home to be completely wheelchair accessible. $40,000 was donated from the community to his support his newly independent lifestyle.

AG

# data[].attributes.body
When Langevin has to travel from his office to the capitol for a vote, the trip, on foot, would only take a few minutes. Due to his restriction in a motor wheelchair, the route is longer and more secluded than typically. His injury poses restraints on time management during his busy lifestyle.

AG

# data[].attributes.body
Langevin experienced loss of . . .
1. Movement

2. Altered sensation: ability to feel heat, cold, and touch

3. Bowel or bladder control

ME

# data[].attributes.body
1.  http://www.msnbc.com/jansing-co/congressman-tells-personal-story-his-own-s
2. https://www.sci-info-pages.com/factsheets.html
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj4YPScKuJg
4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/james-r-langevin-d-ri/gIQABs8MAP_print.html?noredirect=on

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Congressman James Langevin, D-R.I., was just a teenager when his life changed forever because of a gun.

"I was a police cadet, 16-years-old in the police locker room, you would think one of the safest environments that you could be in and yet an accident happened and I became paralyzed," Langevin said on Jansing & Co.

A police officer accidentally fired a weapon in the locker room, the bullet ricocheted off one of the lockers and lodged in his neck.

"Now, it just shows that you can't prevent every gun related incident, but we can make sure that we take common sense steps to keep our kids safe and the answer isn't always more guns, especially having more guns around our kids. So, when I hear things like we're going to arm teachers, security officers in schools, it does concern me," Langevin said.

He listened at a hearing Wednesday, while Police Chief Scott Knight told a task force on gun violence that arming teachers is not the answer. The Chaska, Minnesota Chief said the proposal is a dangerous distraction.

Knight said, "It opens a host of security issues. It is very difficult for even a highly trained police officer to engage a shooter."

Langevin said there is a difference between arming teachers and having trained police officers in schools. The latter is something he's open to and he also supports the President's proposals and calls them common sense changes.

"What we should do is background checks, making sure weapons don't get into the wrong hands," Langevin told Chris Jansing.

He's also lobbying his colleagues in the House to bring someone who was touched by gun violence to the State of the Union address. Members of Congress are allowed to invite one person.

"I'm hoping we have a strong presence of victims or family members of victims of gun violence in the gallery that night when the President delivers his State of the Union message and talks about responsible gun control."

Chris Jansing asks if it's the personal stories that will make a difference.

"I absolutely think the personal connections, the personal aspects of this will make a clear difference. I give the President high marks for making this a centerpiece so early on in his new administration," he added, "We need to keep the momentum going."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Congressman tells personal story of his own shooting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Congressman James Langevin, D-R.I., was just a teenager when his life changed forever because of a gun. "I was a police cadet, 16-years-old in the police locker room, you would think one of the safest environments that you could be in and yet an accident happened and I became paralyzed," Langevin said on Jansing & Co.

# data[].attributes.body
-Exaggerated reflex activities/spasms

-Changes in sexual function, sexual sensitivity, fertility

-Pain or an intense stinging sensation caused by damage to the nerve fibers in your spinal cord

-Difficulty breathing, coughing or clearing secretions from your lungs

ME

# data[].attributes.body
Motor tracts carry signals from the brain to control muscle movement, which were damaged.
As were sensory tracts, which  carry signals from body parts to the brain relating to heat, cold, pressure, pain and the position of your limbs.

ME