Mark Birnbaum Presents Swingman: A Must-See Movie

There was recently a world premier of a documentary film named “Swingman” by Mark Birnbaum.  The film is about a Texan firefighter’s life and journey after a biking accident left him a quadriplegic.

Captain Marshall Allen was an athlete and pioneering black fireman – who tried to hop over a branch in the road and went into a ditch. “I went over the handle bars and landed on the back of my head…I was wide awake, and knew exactly what had happened. I knew from my training that I had dislocated my vertebrae below C-3, and snapped my neck. My first thought was, ‘God, no.’” The man ended up in a wheelchair, but his spirit remains positive.

“Around 1984, I was watching [a TV news story]. A 14- or 15-year-old white kid was clearly depressed, with low self esteem. I had to fight back tears right there in the firehouse. He talked about love, how he didn’t need it, how it was a trick for weak people. I’d said the same thing and gone past the point where he was. I wanted to make a book, film or presentation to keep young men from making the same mistakes I did. Strength comes out of vulnerability you can’t have one without the other. You have to be vulnerable enough to learn and experience things, to be strong. I knew I could trust you…This message relates to girls, too. I want them to know why guys do such stupid things.”

When asked who would play Capt. Allen in Hollywood, he says there’s only one person he wants – “The Rock.” More information on the film is available at the website of Mark Birnbaum productions – http://www.markbirnbaum.com