Matt Golden suffered a cardiac arrest after traveling to attend college. He was hospitalized for three weeks in a coma and had to learn to accept limitations to his diet and activity due to his weak heart. This caused arguments with his father, as Matt wanted more independence. However, Matt has since learned his disability does not define his ability, as he now works in Washington D.C., proving the challenges of his condition do not prevent him from achieving his dreams.

1. Golden State of Mind
Guest blog post by Matt Golden, UCP’s Public Education & Outreach Intern.

2. “I had visions of making a classic, then [sic] my world turned black,” says the rapper, The Game.
While lying on my hospital bed, his lyrics seemed almost strangely prophetic. After traveling
halfway across the country to attend George Washington University in pursuit of my
education—even more so my independence—having my body fail me at this moment was the
beginning of a nightmare. I had to watch as my vision failed, leaving me with nothing but
existential darkness enveloping me.
Both my father and my aunt hold special places in my heart. Although my aunt believes in the
power of (prayer and) spirituality, I have been uncomfortable with the idea for as long as I can
remember. But, in that rare moment, I started to pray because, as the saying goes, “There are no
atheists in foxholes” (or dying hospital beds). From that moment on, somewhere on that
precipice of life and death, I began to realize as I heard The Game in my head again, “It’s goin’
[sic] take more than [a weak] heart to hold me back.”
It was 6:00pm back home, when my father received the call. It was someone from the hospital
reporting that I had a cardiac arrest and staff were attempting to revive me. Next, he was told that
they needed my medical records! Finally, he was told that the staff did not expect me to make it
through the night, and “advised” him to take the next available flight to Washington, DC.
My father was up all night to ensure he did not miss his 4:45am flight. Although he was unable
to sleep, he was prepared to see his deceased son. As he boarded the flight, expecting the worst, I
started to show signs of survival.

3. According to my father, he saw his 19­year­old son unconscious, resembling John Lennon post
assassination. The hospital then decided to transfer me to a different one. I was unconscious for
approximately three weeks and didn’t get out of my hospital bed until Christmas. In the end, it
took me a little while to realize that I am not, and was never, the only one dealing with serious
health issues. My challenges, including my cardiac arrest, are challenging to both myself, as well
as my father.
Still having a long way to go, I began to regain an appreciation for my independence, autonomy,
and existence. After graduating inpatient rehab back home, I started having problems sleeping
while lying down because my heart was too weak to expel excess fluid on its own. As a result, I
was put on a low­sodium diet.
After this, I started to question whether life was worth it; if I could be “normal” which, to me,
meant being able to consume as much sodium as any other unhealthy, young adults around me.
According to the American Heart Association, around 90% of Americans consume more than the
suggested 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. Unfortunately, I was trapped in a situation where
I “had to” stick to this daily recommended amount. I can consume more now, but to this day, I
am still expected to eat more responsibly than most people my age.
This caused friction between me and my father. We both lived, especially for him with constant
fear of me dying. My cardiac arrest, and recovery, brought back the nightmares of my early
years, when my family lived on the edge with my life hanging in the balance. I constantly argued

4. with my father about how much sodium I “could” consume. I wanted to prove to my father,
doctors, and heart that I could eat whatever I wanted. Moreover, I wanted to prove ​to myself ​that
I was “normal.”
According to Ola Ojewumi, Director of both Project ASCEND and the Sacred Hearts Children’s
Transplant Foundation, “Our disabilities might provide us with challenges, but ​disability does
not mean inability.​” So, here is my last thought. My parents believed in me, but not in the idea
of me being “disabled.” In their view, I have “challenges,” rather than “disabilities”. because
accepting that I’m disabled is subsequently accepting the incorrect opinion that I’m “inabled”
[sic].
My father, who loves and wants the absolute best for me, is concerned that posting this would
reflect poorly on my abilities in the eyes of many employers, who are concerned less with
equality, and more with efficiency and production. Ojewumi challenges employers worldwide to
“be willing to give people with disabilities a fair shot ­­ [we] might surprise you.”
I’m writing this from my first job, here in DC­­ the dream of many and reality of a few. At this
point in my life, I’ve had almost as many open­heart surgeries as semesters. I’ve worked as many
jobs as I’ve had cardiac arrests. I’ve learned that I have a lot to learn and am constantly building
my maturity, professionalism, acceptance, and ability. And the biggest thing I have learned thus
far, in both my life and during this summer, is that disability does not mean inability.