INDIANAPOLIS -- Michael Hunt says community support has helped his family deal with an accident that killed his mother-in-law and left one of his daughters paralyzed.

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Father Keeps Fighting For Paralyzed Daughter

The Indianapolis man hopes he can channel that support toward a discovery of a paralysis cure.

Emily Hunt, then 4, and 57-year-old Nancy Jones were on a miniature train ride at a Boone County amusement park in August 1996 when the train flipped. Jones died as a result of the accident, and Emily, now 10, is in a wheelchair.

Not long after the accident, Michael Hunt (pictured, right) created the Emily Hunt Foundation to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries and gather money for research. About $1.5 million has been raised so far.

"One of the things I realize, as I reflect and look back on everything, is I never really felt despair or felt really down about anything because we had such strong community support," said Hunt, this week's RTV6 Leadership Award winner. "It was just an outpouring, and there still is."

Among the events produced by the foundation is Emily's Walk, held each fall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Emily participates with her father and others at her side.

"There's this constant 'cheering us on' that gives you the energy to keep going forward, no matter how bad something may get," Michael Hunt said. "You get so full of grace when you get that kind of charity and support from the community."

Find out how you can nominate someone for the RTV6 Leadership Award.