Now, he is sharing his story to help others recognize the warning signs of the autoimmune condition A Virginia Beach man is sharing his remarkable story of hope after experiencing a serious health crisis that left him paralyzed.

Spampinato talks exclusively with PEOPLE about how it led to her adopting the little boy Kaci Spampinato has helped hundreds of students during her two decades of teaching, but in 2009, there was one student in particular who left an impact on her.