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Alex Jeong was a law school student in 1991 when a car accident left him tetraplegic. After undergoing rehabilitation at the Rusk Institute, he completed law school and became a prosecutor with the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. He is currently bureau chief of criminal court at the Brooklyn DA's office, where he supervises about 40 assistant district attorneys.
Jeong is well known in the Korean community in New York City, as well as in Korea. In 2000, a documentary about his life aired on Korean television; this was followed by a book and tour. The documentary and book helped raise awareness in Korea about the treatment of disabled citizens, who have historically been ostracized and thereby prevented from achieving a complete recovery. Moreover, little government infrastructure exists to help people with disabilities function in society and reach their full potential. During the book tour he met Soo-Young Lee, an internet entrepreneur, who saw him on a talk show. Lee and Jeong were married last year.
Jeong recently returned from a susequent trip to Korea, where he gave a lecture at a prosecutor's office on the American criminal justice system. During this trip, he also began to raise funds for a summer camp for adults with disabilities. The camp will provide psychological support and vocational assistance for newly injured people, to help them feel confident socially and to get jobs that are commensurate with their ability.
Related Article:
Jeong was profiled in the alumni publication of Colgate University, where he was an undergraduate student. Click here to read the article, "Reluctant hero," from the September 2004 issue of The Colgate Scene.
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