FOUNDER’S STORY
SAM SCHMIDT: HOW ONE JOURNEY INSPIRED A MISSION
Before there was DRIVEN Neuro, there was one life-changing moment that inspired a mission. Sam Schmidt’s journey became the foundation for a community of people, programs, and partners helping individuals with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions build strength, independence, and confidence through every part of their recovery journey.
WHERE OUR STORY BEGINS
Sam Schmidt grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, graduated from Pepperdine University, and became a successful entrepreneur. But his real passion was always speed. He began racing competitively in his 30s, and by 1999 he had reached the pinnacle of American open-wheel racing: winning from pole position in the Indy Racing League in Las Vegas.
WHEN TIME STOPPED
On January 6, 2000, Sam Schmidt was on top of the racing world. Then, during a routine practice session at Walt Disney World Speedway, he backed his racecar into a wall at nearly 200 mph. The impact caused a C3/4/5 spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed.
WHAT FOLLOWED WAS SHAPED NOT BY LOSS, BUT BY POSSIBILITY
Just six weeks after the crash, on February 17, 2000, Sam and his family founded the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. Their vision was both ambitious and deeply personal—to pursue a cure for paralysis, invest in groundbreaking research, and help others facing paralysis access the support, resources, and opportunities they needed to move forward.
Over the next two decades, that vision continued to grow. The foundation evolved into Conquer Paralysis Now, expanding its impact through research, advocacy, and innovation. In partnership with Arrow Electronics, it helped pioneer the SAM Car (a Semi-Autonomous Motorcar that allows quadriplegic individuals to control all aspects of driving using only their heads), proving that paralysis didn’t have to define what was possible. It also expanded beyond research by opening the first DRIVEN Neuro in Las Vegas in 2018, followed by a second location in Indianapolis in 2024.
Along the way, the mission evolved as well. While advancing research remains an important part of the organization’s work, it became clear that people living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions needed access to extended recovery, community, and support in addition to traditional rehabilitation pathways.
“I GOT SIX MONTHS OF INPATIENT REHABILITATION. NOW, THIS SAME INJURY WITH CONTEMPORARY INSURANCE WOULD GET YOU FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS OF REHABILITATION... DECEMBER OF 2018 IS WHEN WE OPENED DRIVEN [NEURO] IN LAS VEGAS TO TRY AND GIVE [OTHERS] THE SAME OPPORTUNITY I HAD 18 YEARS EARLIER.
Sam Schmidt
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: OUR MISSION TODAY
Today, that mission lives on through DRIVEN Neuro, a name that captures what’s been true from the start. This isn’t about one person’s recovery, or even one finish line. It’s about the people, programs, and partners working together to expand access to recovery, build community, and create new opportunities for individuals living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions.
Impact
Clients served
across both
centers
THERAPY SESSIONS
DELIVERED
OF CLIENTS REPORT
MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL,
MENTAL, OR EMOTIONAL
IMPROVEMENT
YEARS ADVANCING THE
MISSION
SAM SCHMIDT’S BOOK: NO FINISH LIFE
ONE RACER. ONE CRASH. A LIFETIME OF PUSHING FORWARD
In No Finish Line, DRIVEN Neuro founder and former IndyCar driver Sam Schmidt shares the story behind a 200-mph crash, a C3/4/5 spinal cord injury, and the mission it sparked. 100% of author proceeds support DRIVEN Neuro. Get the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org. 100% of author proceeds support the DRIVEN Neuro Sam Schmidt Foundation.
