On Exhibit | Diving a Dream

From 2004 through 2007, Ocean Opportunity Inc. acted as the fiscal sponsor and project manager for Matthew Johnston’s Diving a Dream project. This ambitious three-year journey helped Matt beat the odds of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to become the world’s first ventilator dependent quadriplegic diver.

The project required custom adaptations to his ventilator for use in the water, and a concentrated effort to address the many medical, technical, and liability issues associated with the endeavor. The project was supported by numerous individuals and companies including the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Matt’s pioneering first ocean dive was featured on NBC’s Today Show in 2007. In years following, Matt earned recognition among Beneath the Sea’s Divers of the Year and also has a permanent feature exhibit at the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, Florida.

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