NYPD Detective Steven McDonald to Speak at St. Michael's Graduation

This Friday evening, June 10, at 7:00 P.M. NYPD Detective Steven McDonald will be the commencement speaker at the St. Michael's School class of 2011 graduation, which will be held in St. Michael's Church in Cranford.  He will speak the the graduates, their friends and family about adversity, faith, and forgiveness.

Many of you know McDonald's story.  Nearly 25 years ago, on July 12, 1986, he was on duty on a hot, summer day in Central Park when he stopped a group of youths to question them about a stolen bicycle.  In the course of the questioning, one of them shot McDonald three times.   While he survived his injury, he was left a quadraplegic.

Since then, Detective McDonald spends much of his time sharing his thoughts about the day that changed his life and the long road he took to spiritual recovery.  He focuses on the power of faith in his journey from anguish and anger to peace and forgiveness, which ultimately led him to forgive his attacker.  He tells his audiences why he feels that "the only thing worse than a buillet in the spine is revenge."

The St. Michael's Class of 2011 is honored to have Detective McDonald as its graduation speaker and is looking forward the inspiration he will, no doubt, extend to them and his audience.