Passion for his 'perspective'

HURON TWP. — Going on a decade now, and Tyson Gentry's nonprofit appears stronger than ever. Yet, to continue helping out families in need, he still desires the public's help. Gentry, a 2004 Perkins High School graduate, recently announced two Erie County-based fundraisers connected with his organization, the New Perspective Foundation. Every single cent donated at these events helps people who rely upon this nonprofit's services. New Perspective financially supports families of victims who suffer spinal cord injuries. All money received from these events and other donations covers costs so relatives can primarily focus on the person in pain without worrying about any other monetary burden. New Perspective, for instance, assists with airfare, lodging, gas, rental car expenses and more. Since its founding in 2014, New Perspective has raised and granted more than $700,000, helping out in excess of 300 families. Public events serving as fundraisers occurred in every year other than 2020 due to COVID-19. "The financial strain should not be what families are focused on during this time — they have enough on their minds already," said Gentry, adding how the foundation benefits those living in Florida, Georgia and Ohio. "We created this foundation because there aren't any other resources out there that address this need." Contribute to the cause The annual series of Sandusky-area events for New Perspective returns this summer. Here's a look at what's on the schedule: • Friday, July 25 at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions — Guest speaker Joel Penton, a former football player at Ohio State University who won a national championship with the Buckeyes and the founder of LifeWise Academy; Penton and Gentry ended up being teammates on Ohio State. People can also bid on items through a silent auction. "It will be an impactful message for the kids," Gentry said. "He is trying to get more kids exposure to the Bible and their faith." • Saturday, July 26 at Sawmill Creek Resort — Teams of four, which involves 152 total people, broken up into 38 teams, will compete against one another with food provided by Sandusky Bay Pancake House, Chick-fil-A and Cameo Pizza "We would greatly appreciate any and all support as we move forward with our mission of helping families figure out their new perspective on life," Gentry said. "Please visit our website, newperspective.org, for information on our fundraiser weekend, to learn more about what we do and to read stories from families that we have helped." A career-changing injury After being recruited as a preferred walk-on by the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 2004, Gentry suffered a horrific injury during an intrasquad scrimmage two years later. In 2006, he caught a pass over the middle of the field and, upon being tackled, awkwardly hit the ground. Gentry was instantly paralyzed from the neck down — and his life, along with his family's, changed forever. After undergoing two surgeries, followed by two months of inpatient physical and occupational therapy, Gentry realized the stresses an injury like this can place on everyone involved. "My parents drove round-trip to Columbus after my injury many, many times, and they spent over $1,000 on gas alone," Gentry said. Gentry didn't want others, complete strangers even, to experience financial hardships if they suffered similar incapacitating injuries. So he turned a personal crushing blow into a benevolent and unparalleled cause. The upcoming Erie County-based fundraisers represent New Perspective's largest annual source of revenue. "Life can change in a split second, and it's really difficult to go at it alone when you face something like this," said Gentry, who credited his wife, Megan, and their two children, Adam and Ryan for their unwavering support. "Our community has been so supportive of me since my injury," he added. "In the event anything ever happens to someone in our community like what happened to me, that person can rely on us to be able to help them and support them through that difficult time." Gentry has also used his injury, through speaking engagements, as a platform to help others. "I really enjoy sharing my story and teaching people what I have learned about handling adversity and having a resilient mentality," he said. "Mental health problems are a big concern everywhere you look, so any opportunity I get to encourage others and have something good come from my situation makes it all worth it."