Greg Abbott, the longtime Republican governor of Texas, is one of the most prominent politicians in the U.S. who uses a wheelchair. His story is one of perseverance, but it’s also rooted in a life-altering accident that happened decades ago. If you’ve ever wondered how Abbott ended up in a wheelchair, the answer goes back to a single moment in 1984 that changed everything.
At the time, Abbott was a 26-year-old law school graduate, fresh out of Vanderbilt University and preparing for the Texas bar exam. On July 14, 1984, he decided to take a break from studying by going for a jog in Houston’s upscale River Oaks neighborhood. It was a routine he’d done countless times before, but this time, disaster struck.
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Without warning, a massive oak tree, weighing thousands of pounds, cracked and collapsed directly onto his back. The impact was devastating: it crushed multiple vertebrae, shattered ribs, and caused severe damage to his spinal cord. Abbott was rushed to the hospital, where doctors worked to stabilize him, inserting two steel rods near his spine to support his shattered vertebrae. The injury left him permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
The Aftermath and Recovery
Greg Abbott’s recovery was grueling. Beyond the physical pain, he had to come to terms with the fact that he’d never walk again. In interviews, he’s spoken about how doctors told him bluntly that his running days were over. But rather than letting the accident define him, Abbott channeled his energy into rebuilding his life. He passed the bar exam shortly after the injury, then dove into a legal career that would eventually propel him into politics.
41 years ago, a life-changing accident left me paralyzed from the waist down.
Determination drove me to never give up.
Our lives are not defined by our challenges, but by how we respond to them. pic.twitter.com/pUYmcgYs57
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 14, 2025
One of the most remarkable aspects of Abbott’s story is how he turned a personal tragedy into a driving force for his career. He didn’t just adapt to life in a wheelchair; he thrived in spite of it. After working as a lawyer, he became a state judge, then a Texas Supreme Court justice, and later the state’s attorney general. By 2015, he was elected governor, making him one of only three U.S. governors in history to serve while using a wheelchair (the others being Franklin D. Roosevelt and George Wallace).
Abbott has often framed his disability as a testament to perseverance. In his 2017 autobiography, Broken but Unbowed, he wrote about how the accident taught him to focus on what he could do rather than what he couldn’t. That mindset has shaped his political career, where he’s known for his aggressive, no-compromise style, whether it’s suing the federal government over immigration policies or pushing Texas’s controversial abortion bans.
The Political and Personal Legacy
Greg Abbott’s wheelchair has, at times, become a flashpoint in political battles. Critics have accused him of hypocrisy, pointing out that while he’s benefited from legal settlements (he reportedly received millions from lawsuits related to his injury), he’s also supported tort reform that makes it harder for others to sue for similar damages. Meanwhile, his disability has occasionally been weaponized by opponents, like in 2025 when Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett mockingly referred to him as “Hot Wheels” during a speech, a comment that sparked bipartisan backlash.
The New Face of the Democrat Party: Jasmine Crockett calls TX Gov Greg Abbott “Governor Hot Wheels.”
Abbott has been in a wheelchair since he was paralyzed in an accident in 1984. pic.twitter.com/uifooeLVO0
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 25, 2025
On a personal level, Abbott’s injury has led to other challenges. In 2016, he suffered severe burns on his feet after scalding water in a shower, a risk for people with paralysis who can’t feel temperature extremes in affected areas. Yet, he’s remained active, even continuing to hunt and participate in outdoor activities with adaptive equipment.
As of August 2025, Abbott is still governor and shows no signs of slowing down. He’s currently embroiled in a high-stakes political fight with Texas Democrats over redistricting, even threatening to remove lawmakers who fled the state to block GOP-backed voting maps. Through it all, his wheelchair has been a constant, not just as a mobility device, but as a symbol of his unyielding approach to politics and life.
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Greg Abbott’s story isn’t just about how he ended up in a wheelchair; it’s about how he refused to let it stop him. Whether you agree with his policies or not, his resilience is undeniable. And in a state like Texas, where toughness is practically a virtue, that’s a narrative that’s resonated with voters for decades.
