Much as Christian writer, artist and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada, who is a native of Maryland, Florio does not let being a quadriplegic prevent him from living a productive life. Now 23, he is an artist whose work has been publicly displayed in the vicinity of his Glen Burnie home, where he lives with his parents.

From July 8 - 30, Florio’s paintings will be exhibited in the Seifert Enrichment Centre, 2326 Goddard Pkwy. (at Naylor Mill Rd. behind Lowe’s), in Salisbury. Florio will attend the showing from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on July 8 and 29, and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on July 9 and 30 to meet area residents who come to view his work.

Using a mouthstick to guide his brush, he has created vivid works in watercolors and oils. He has captured landscapes and painted portraits. He has branched into greeting cards and prints which he sells from his Web site.

Wherever his paintings have been shown, people have taken notice and expressed their appreciation for his talent and his tenacity as an artist. But it is his story which touches them most.

Although he attended Christian school, he describes himself as rebellious in his youth. "I wasn’t particularly interested in anything spiritual," he said in a phone interview. Yet he held onto a heartfelt desire to "do something good in life."

The night before he was injured, Florio remembers praying that God would keep him safe. The next day, he dove headlong from a deck into four feet of water in his best friend’s pool. He went limp. As he floated facedown, his friend thought he was clowning. It soon became tragically evident that he was not.

The next thing Florio recalled was being in the recovery room at Johns Hopkins, repeatedly singing the first line of "Jesus Loves Me" to himself. He was hoping for a miraculous restoration of physical sensation. He couldn’t move or feel anything below his chin.

As the regimen of rehabilitation began, he was angry and bitter. He could not understand why God did not protect him after he had prayed. Over time, he recognized that his becoming a Christian was a result of the injury. God brought a blessing through what happened, not in spite of it.

Even so, acceptance of his disability has been a difficult and gradual process.

Florio’s path actually crossed that of Joni Tada just before his accident. "She did a lot of preaching at the school I went to," he said.

He was in a wheelchair during his class graduation. Unable to attend the ceremony, Tada appeared in a specially taped video and made a point of encouraging Florio in front of his peers.

From her, he said, "the biggest thing I’ve learned is that it’s definitely possible to have a good life with a severe injury… She gives me encouragement because of her faith and the way that she reaches out to people."

Florio has become "a very deep thinker," he said, "and I think it’s because of the injury. I’ve got a lot of time on my hands to just think about things."

Time seemed like his enemy right after the accident. Every day was ominous. He became depressed and lethargic. As part of his therapy, Florio was encouraged to attempt painting. He initially rejected the idea, even though he had shown some artistic talent as a child.

He spent five months at Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, then received more rehabilitation in Hershey, PA. When he returned home, he began painting. As he developed skill, art became a source of comfort and relaxation through which he could express himself and experience a sense of accomplishment.

Now he finds he can paint for hours on end, clenching his teeth to hold the mouthstick and moving his head to draw with charcoal pencils or make his paint brushes produce striking images.

Florio credits his productivity to his relationship with God.

"Now I have no choice but to depend on my spiritual life," he said. "I get the strength where I need it, and I take that and roll with it — no pun intended," he added with a chuckle.

"All of my strength comes from Christ. I just think about what He’s done for me and I start feeling better about myself." Because of what he has been able to achieve, he described his life as "pretty amazing."

He was spurred to take art history classes at a community college and enroll in The Art Institute Online. What started as a form of therapy is now a platform for Florio to encourage others. His latest ambition is to design stimulating video games for the disabled to use as a rehabilitation tool.

Florio exercises a powerful influence in the lives of others due to his injury. In spite of the difficulty of daily living, he can see it as an advantage.

"It’s a devastating thing to live like this. It really hits you hard. I’ve had this injury for nine years. Everyone who goes through this injury is going to reach bottom every once in awhile and say, ‘I can’t take this anymore.’"

He said faith helps him cope but he also needs the camaraderie of friends.

Florio has befriended people he might never have known had it not been for his injury. One of them is Baltimore Orioles right fielder and first baseman Jay Gibbons. The two chanced to meet in an electronics store and struck up a fast friendship. They share a lot in common, especially a love for baseball. They were even born on the same day, March 2, although Gibbons is five years older.

An appreciative Florio painted a detailed 16-by-20-inch portrait of Gibbons, which he presented to the player during a ceremony at Camden Yards. It was a dream come true to be on the field of his favorite team.

In exchange, Gibbons gave him a bat on which he had written, "Robert: Thank you for showing me the true meaning of life. Your buddy, Jay Gibbons."

It was an insightful inscription. Florio’s injury has made him "step back and put things in perspective" and develop "an overall appreciation for life," he said.

He must deal with a tracheotomy tube in his neck. He needs a motorized wheelchair for mobility and requires nearly around-the-clock assistance. Yet he hopes to be miraculously healed one day.

"I still get really angry at God sometimes, but I turn it over and say, ‘Well, I’ve just got to wait. I’ve gone through it this much. I’ll just trust and keep my hope up. That’s the only thing I can do.’

"It’s self-defeating to be angry and bitter all the time. I don’t want to turn into a bitter person. No one wants to be around someone who’s bitter."

The response he gets to his paintings helps Florio prevent that from happening.

"Without being able to do much, it’s amazing. You actually end up doing a lot more than you think," he concluded optimistically.