The best is yet to come for Nate Waters

There's a new non-profit organization in town called the Dream Institute. Its goal is to help people with disabilities realize their dreams. <br><br>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells introduces us to

Wednesday, November 12th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

There's a new non-profit organization in town called the Dream Institute. Its goal is to help people with disabilities realize their dreams.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells introduces us to one of the people getting help, Nate Waters.

Rick says, the phrase making the best of a bad situation must have been written about him. "The best is yet to come. I believe that in the bottom of my heart." Nate Waters believes that, and his own hard work and strong will are making it happen. Nate is a student at OSU-Tulsa.

He has some pretty lofty educational goals. "Bachelor's degree in 2005, after that I'd like to go to TU and get a corporate law degree." That from a young man dropped out of high school in the tenth grade and who in April of '97 during a fight with his mother's boyfriend broke two vertebrae when he was dumped on his head.

Paralyzed, he had to learn to breathe on his own again; in fact he does just about everything on his own. "This situation has made me motivated times a hundred." Since '97 he's gotten his GED, an Associate's Degree from TCC and hours of rehabilitation therapy with few resources beyond his own strong will to accomplish something.

"I've been getting scholarships from different hospitals." He keeps asking until they find a place for him. He just returned from St. Louis, which is where he found out about a rehab program up there on the Internet. After they agreed to see him he had to get there. "I sent out 100 letters." Finally a man in Dallas paid his way, they liked what they saw and he may go back.

In the meantime he's going to class, business law, another step toward that degree. His life is full. "Doing my public speaking, writing my poems, reading' going to school and trying to make a better life for myself."

Who would argue he's going to make it.

Nate will be a featured speaker Thursday night at a free event, which will introduce the public to the Dream Institute. The event is at the OU Tulsa Schusterman Center. For more information call 588-3600.