When 70-year-old Jack Rushton writes an observation of his life, his intended audience is his children and grandchildren. After all, each observation is lovingly signed "Dad/Grandpa/Jack."

But thanks to the Internet, e-mail forwards and word of mouth, Jack's astute, witty observations reach a readership as diverse as Ghana, Australia and Belgium.

It's an impressive achievement for anyone, but especially for a man who, after a debilitating accident 20 years ago, was left a quadriplegic and completely reliant on a wheelchair and respirator.

He was not even expected to speak again, let alone live life so fully.

"I am able to write and hopefully influence others, especially my family, for good," said Rushton, who has used voice recognition software to compose more than 200 observations since 2003 (His blog is called "Observations by Jack Rushton"). "When I am writing I feel creative and productive and totally forget that I am mobility impaired."

Rushton, of Tustin, Calif., was vacationing with his family along the coast in the summer of 1989. He was body surfing with his son, John, and was swept by a wave into a rock or sand bar. The impact broke his neck and damaged his spinal cord.

At the hospital, doctors informed the shocked and devastated Rushtons that their beloved husband, father and grandfather was permanently paralyzed.

But a blessing from the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, coupled with the Rushton family's undaunted determination, made all the difference. They adopted an attitude of gratitude and anticipation for tender experiences to come.

In an interview with the Ensign magazine in 1994, Rushton committed to celebrating the anniversary of his accident as a new birthday, or as the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

"I did OK in my past life, so I plan to do OK in my new life," he said in the interview.

Aug. 1, 2009, was the 20th anniversary of Rushton's new life, and it's safe to say he has done more than "OK." Since the accident, he was been exercising his active, alert mind.

"I learned within days after my accident that any quality of life I would have from that point on would be centered in the mind and the spirit," he said.

Rushton compared it to leaving mortality and entering the spirit world — having to, in essence, leave his functioning physical body behind.

"Yet my mind was consumed by cherished truths I think maybe I had taken for granted for much of my life," he said. "They brought great peace of mind to me and helped me to deal with a future that looked black and almost impossible to comprehend."

"It was not until I was prepared to go to the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit that my life was changed forever," he said. "Then my spirit was healed as only the Lord can do. He gave me a new heart."

Rushton's wife, Jo Anne, 65, has been by his side, watching out for him for 45 years. "She is my hero because of her faith and ability to be my primary caregiver 24/7 for all this time," he said.

He labels her his "quality control agent" since she has made his life worthwhile, urging him try new things. "She has never treated me with pity or less than a whole. … Whenever a doctor sees me and realizes how long I have been paralyzed and on life support they are overwhelmed. Others may not, but the medical world holds (Jo Anne) in awe."

Rushton called his six children "the greatest." His oldest son is a judge; he has two daughters who are schoolteachers and one who is a registered nurse; his second son is in business and his third son is an ER doctor.

The Rushtons also have 17 grandchildren. The two oldest are serving full-time LDS missions in Poland and Chile.

"We are proud of them all," Rushton said. "Thankfully they all live within an hour of our home, which is an unbelievable blessing because of my inability to travel long distances."

Nine months after his accident, Rushton was ordained a patriarch and has served in that capacity for the past 19 years.

"It has been my great privilege and opportunity to give hundreds of blessings," he said.

Rushton is likewise in the 19th consecutive year of teaching the gospel doctrine class in the Tustin 4th Ward in the Orange California Stake. For several years, he also taught institute classes at night but has since retired. He also spoke at BYU Campus Education Week for four years, sharing his gently self-mocking, cheerful sense of humor.

"But I never do comedy for comedy's sake," he said. "My talks are peppered with comedy, which enables me to get the audience on my side so that I can hopefully deliver a message that will impact their lives for good."

Between speaking and writing, both out of a desire to uplift others, Rushton has turned his tragedy into a triumph. He has become the embodiment of his motto: "It's good to be alive!"

"(I found) the only thing that mattered and was important was my knowledge and faith in the Atonement of Christ, my relationships with family and friends and with Heavenly Father," Rushton said. "I still feel that way 20 years later."