Mitch Knauf
Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Challenge: T3 Paraplegic
Website: facebook.com/mitch.knauf.1
My name is Mitch Knauf, I was 7yrs old and I got my 1st drum from Bambergers!! lol that was it I was hooked, obsessed.. I taught my self how to play and have been playing out in bands since I was 13.
At the age of 23 I was in a great band near getting signed to a record deal and Bam! shot in the back in a road rage incident & left paralyzed.
I was 23 and thought my life was over that I'd never drum again. It's all I knew, its what I loved.
The first few years adjusting to my "new life" as a paraplegic & thinking I could never drum again were hard to say the least.
There was no social media in 1992. I'm not even sure I had a computer back then. I couldn't just go on line and research drumming or pull up a YouTube video or ask someone on Facebook.. It didn't exist.
I thought I was alone then one day a friend picked me up and took me the music store and showed me an electronic Roland set that I could play with no legs! Once again I had to teach myself to drum all over again in a whole new way.
My passion was back, my happiness was back it became the best therapy I could ever have physically and mentally I was better. That was a long time ago and many drum kits since I keep adding and modifying and adapting my kits.
When I'm not drumming I spend my time trying to help and inspire others who are in my situation and promote music therapy even for those who were not previously drummers. I think it's what saved me from those dark days back in 1992 and I hope to save others from those dark days. Social media has helped me do that. Has enabled me to reach out and for others to reach out to me. I never thought anything would make me feel better the drumming but being able to help others and maybe make a difference in someone's life who's struggling like I was.
There is no better feeling that that. It gives my life new meaning. All things happen for a reason.. Maybe this is my reason.
Mitch Knauf - The paraplegic Drummer