© 2026 ABC News

\"My son is my motivation as I am his. My son admires me and looks up to me with the purest light in his eye,\" Ford wrote on social media.

Ford said that part of taking care of himself mentally is going to therapy, which he first started about a year ago after noticing how the coping strategies he had in place were no longer conducive to his needs. Among the things that he also realized weren't beneficial: watching police shootings on the internet, which often go viral.

Researchers say that constantly watching fatal shootings of Black Americans, who are disproportionately killed by police in America, on social media, contributes to emotional trauma and anxiety, according to a Rutgers study published last month.

\"PHOTO:
@leonfordspeaks/Instagram
PHOTO: Leon Ford, an activist, author and father left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by Pittsburgh police officers in 2012, poses alongside his son.
>

Dr. George James is a Philadelphia-based marriage and family therapist who also has experience working with emotional trauma, specifically stress caused by racial injustices. He said finding a balance between being informed and protecting your mental health is crucial.

\"Seeing Black people die and mistreated is not humane ... this is not a video game. We are talking about people's lives,\" he told ABC News.

James, who also serves as Council for Relationships' chief innovation officer, said that even as a Black husband and father, the current racial climate is deeply personal and often requires him to remember to follow what he preaches.

\"I also have to practice what I say to others. My self-care and my family's self-care are extremely important. In order to be there for others I have to take care of myself,\" he said.

James believes that while the trauma Blake and his family are experiencing is \"intense and overwhelming,\" having a strong support system, going to therapy and finding motivation in the stories of others will help the healing process.

\"Seeing examples like Leon Ford can help them to know it's possible to make it to a better place,\" James said.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/black-man-paralyzed-police-shooting-healing-advice-jacob/story?id=72575510","legacySlug":"/news/story/black-man-paralyzed-police-shooting-healing-advice-jacob-72575510","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"21:25","publishDate":"08-29-2020","updatedTime":"02:43","updatedDate":"08-30-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"Leon Ford, an activist, author and father, has been speaking out against police brutality after he was shot by Pittsburgh police officers in 2012, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.","credit":"KeepPittsburghDope/Instagram","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/leon-ford-portrait-ht-jc-200828_1598660661734_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"8/29/2020 21:25:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":72575510,"headline":"Police shooting survivor's advice for Jacob Blake ","mediaAssetTitle":" BLACK MAN PARALYZED BY POLICE SHARES STORY","description":"\"It's not going to be easy ... But it is possible to still have a good life.\"","duration":"6:15","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/08/200829_gma_presha_811_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Police shooting survivor's advice for Jacob Blake ","description":"\"It's not going to be easy ... But it is possible to still have a good life.\"","duration":"6:15","uploadDate":"08-29-2020","publication":"08-29-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/08/200829_gma_presha_811_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/08/200829_gma_presha_811_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/black-man-paralyzed-police-shooting-healing-advice-jacob-72575510"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Police shooting survivor's advice for Jacob Blake ","pubTime":"17:25","pubDate":"08-29-2020","modTime":"22:43","modDate":"08-29-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":72575510,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Police shooting survivor's advice for Jacob Blake ","mediaAssetTitle":" BLACK MAN PARALYZED BY POLICE SHARES STORY","videoId":72575510,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/black-man-paralyzed-police-shooting-healing-advice-jacob-72575510"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/72575510","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/72575510","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};