Schmidt being moved to St. Louis

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000 | 10:28 a.m.

Indy Racing League driver Sam Schmidt of Henderson was scheduled to be transferred today to St. Louis to begin rehabilitation at a facility that specializes in spinal-cord injuries.

Schmidt, 35, was paralyzed from the neck down in a crash during a test session Jan. 6 at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla. He was to have been moved by air ambulance to the Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University School of Medicine Spinal Cord Injury Program in St. Louis, according to Treadway Racing team publicist Ruthie Culbertson.

Culbertson said Schmidt's family selected the Barnes-Jewish/Washington University program after conducting comprehensive research into rehabilitation centers around the country.

Judy Schmidt, Sam's mother, said her son was eager to begin his rehabilitation. Schmidt reportedly mouthed the words, "Let's rock and roll ... I want to get going," when told he would be leaving Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Schmidt remains on a ventilator to assist in his breathing and is unable to speak, but has carried on conversations with his doctors and family members by mouthing words, according to sources.

Schmidt underwent surgery on Jan. 6 to stabilize an upper spinal fracture of the C-3 and C-4 vertebra.

Treadway Racing team owner Fred Treadway said in an interview last week that Schmidt would "never walk again," but Schmidt's doctors have not been as blunt in their prognosis of his recovery.

Schmidt is expected to be in the St. Louis rehab facility for two to four months.

Offers of support for Schmidt and his family have poured in from the racing community. Indy Racing League founder and president Tony George has offered his private jet to fly members of Treadway Racing to St. Louis to visit their teammate.

Sprint PCS, which dropped its sponsorship of Schmidt's car at the conclusion of the 1999 season, has offered the use of one of its company jets to fly Schmidt home when he is finished with his rehabilitation.