By\u00a0Amy Fouraker<\/p>\n
An event can alter a lifetime of dreams\u00a0and open doors for new opportunities.\u00a0Orion Christy, 26, has transitioned his\u00a0career goals to a different form of media\u00a0due to a near death accident.<\/p>\n
Christy received his degree from Full Sail\u00a0University in Orlando, FL in 2003. He then\u00a0worked freelance on different projects for\u00a0a year as an assistant camera man. Due to\u00a0the lack of film industry in Florida, Christy\u00a0decided to move to Los Angeles, CA where\u00a0there are more opportunities. His plans\u00a0were put on hold due to a tragic accident.<\/p>\n
April 2, 2006, two weeks before his 21st\u00a0birthday, while driving on Highbridge\u00a0Road, Christy swerved and then over\u00a0corrected his vehicle which resulted in\u00a0him driving off of the road. He hit a tree\u00a0and partially submerged his vehicle in a\u00a0canal. Fortunately, a passerby noticed the\u00a0taillights of his vehicle in the water and\u00a0called the police. Once help arrived, he\u00a0was pulled from the wreckage and airlifted\u00a0by helicopter to Halifax Medical Center\u00a0in Daytona Beach where he was classified\u00a0as a near drowning victim. Upon arriving\u00a0at the hospital, Christy was put in a drug\u00a0induced coma to help his body recover\u00a0from the trauma he had endured. A month\u00a0later he woke up.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially the doctors told my parents I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t be able to feed myself, dress\u00a0myself, walk or talk ever again,\u201d he said.\u00a0Christy was talking and walking within\u00a0a month of the accident. He then went to\u00a0a rehabilitation facility in Jacksonville, FL\u00a0where he continued to astonish medical\u00a0practitioners and family alike with his\u00a0remarkable recovery. Christy credits\u00a0his recovery to the excellence of the\u00a0rehabilitation center and his tenacity.<\/p>\n
Once he had significantly improved,\u00a0Christy decided he wanted to undergo an\u00a0\u201cexogenesis\u201d which he said is a reworking\u00a0of everything from the inside. He moved\u00a0back home to Flagler county and decided\u00a0that video journalism was his new\u00a0passion. Despite having extensive camera\u00a0experience, Christy had never formally\u00a0been educated in journalism. He enrolled\u00a0at Daytona State College to take journalism\u00a0classes to develop his writing skills. Christy\u00a0recognized the significant differences\u00a0between film and video journalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cFilm is set up sometimes years in\u00a0advance. It is a very slow and steady\u00a0execution. Everything has to be exactly\u00a0right,\u201d he said. \u201cWhereas in journalism,\u00a0things are how they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Due to the advances in technology and the\u00a0internet, video journalism can be thought\u00a0of as the future of media.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s very realistic nowadays. We are\u00a0transitioning to where everything is online.\u00a0Newspapers and magazines are going\u00a0away, so online is a perfect source for\u00a0media,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Christy currently writes for an online\u00a0based newspaper called Examiner.com\u00a0which is based in Colorado. The company\u00a0offers ideas and its writers have to take\u00a0the initiative to find and cover the stories.\u00a0Christy was hired after submitting written\u00a0samples of his work. He believes that this\u00a0is a \u00a0good way to introduce himself to the\u00a0world of journalism. Christy has written\u00a0multiple car and music related stories for\u00a0the publication and has a following of\u00a01,000 people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives me the ability to share my ideas\u00a0and revelations and hopefully people will\u00a0agree and want to read more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Christy is also currently working a book\u00a0based on the events that have happened in\u00a0his life. The book is in the rough draft stage\u00a0and he hopes for it to be published on the\u00a0anniversary of his accident next year.<\/p>\n
Orion Christy\u2019s published articles can be\u00a0read at http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/autos-ingainesville\/orion-christy and http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/music-in-orlando\/orionchristy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By\u00a0Amy Fouraker An event can alter a lifetime of dreams\u00a0and open doors for new opportunities.\u00a0Orion Christy, 26, has transitioned his\u00a0career goals to a different form of media\u00a0due to a near death accident. Christy received his degree from Full Sail\u00a0University in Orlando, FL in 2003. He then\u00a0worked freelance on different projects Continue reading Film major has new perspective<\/span>