Some might consider Robert Ludlow Jr. a “medical miracle”: In 1952, he severed his spinal cord in a swimming accident and was told that he would die within six months. Even if he did survive, the chances of becoming a successful businessman were low.
Not only did Ludlow, a quadriplegic who lives in Scotts Valley, beat the odds, but he became an attorney who has reached the top of his game.
The injury occurred at a swimming party in the summer of 1952. Ludlow, then a seventh-grader, slid down a slide at Forest Pool in Boulder Creek and struck the bottom of the pool, breaking his neck.
“In those days, people didn’t live after an accident like mine, so I was eventually sent home to die,” Ludlow recalls.
After the accident, he underwent eight surgeries, followed by months of rehabilitation.
Information and resources related to spinal cord injuries were scarce. Ludlow was determined, however, not to be cut out of what life had to offer.
“During this time, I read everything I could get my hands on,” he said.
It wasn’t a medical miracle that changed the odds. It was Ludlow’s own determination and competitive spirit.
“At first, I was fearful and inclined to just stay at home and hide,” said Ludlow, now 72. “My parents forced me to re-engage in life again. The transition was very difficult. I was a loner even before the accident.”
Ludlow’s family had moved to Boulder Creek in 1947. His father was a plumber, and his mother worked for the county of Santa Cruz.
“Since I was a voracious reader and learned to educate myself, San Lorenzo Valley School District agreed to give me credit for all the years of school that I missed,” he said.
Ludlow entered San Lorenzo Valley High School at the start of his senior year, after staying home since eighth grade.
Bound to a wheelchair, he had a motivation to succeed that overcame many obstacles. He made lifelong friends, excelled academically and became president of his graduating class.
He was awarded a full scholarship to Stanford University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961. He recalls the football team carrying him up and down the stairs in his wheelchair.
Following his undergraduate years, Ludlow entered Hastings Law School.
“I was totally captivated,” he said. “I decided right away to become a lawyer and pursue this with passion. I found out that law could be a wonderful tool to increase the quality of life for myself and for others.”
Ludlow graduated from Hastings in 1964, and at age 26, he became a practicing attorney. He got his first job in 1965 working for Santa Cruz’s largest law firm, Lucas, Wyckoff, Miller, Stanley and Scott. It was during this time that he decided to develop advocacy and support for people with spinal cord and brain injuries. He started his private practice in Santa Cruz in 1967, representing people with catastrophic personal injuries.
“It was my way of righting wrongs,” Ludlow explained. “I enjoyed engaging in people’s lives and realized my passion for helping others. These clients became my extended family.”
In 1990, he took the Hawaii Bar Exam and opened up a second office in Hawaii.
He married the love of his life, Lisa, in 1999.
“While many people with disabilities feel limited, they can still help others. The sad thing is when people think they have no choice,” he adds.
Ludlow’s determination and enthusiasm get him through the hardest moments, along with the love and support of his wife, his family and many friends.
Ludlow belongs to numerous organizations and has received many awards. In 1980, Ludlow Center for Special Education in Felton was named after him.
These days, he has cut back on his work to spend more time with his four grandchildren. He even talks about buying a little farm nearby — a place where the kids and family dogs can run and play.
“I always wanted to be a farmer,” Ludlow said. “No matter what you do in life, live it with passion and do it well.”
Sandi Olson of Scotts Valley is a writer, speaker and teacher. She writes about interesting people in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley. E-mail her at
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