College student Eden Schroeder was left paralyzed after snapping her neck when she dived head first into water that was just three-foot deep as she reveals one callous date suggested she would be a good girlfriend because she 'couldn't cheat'

A Georgia college student who was left paralyzed after an horrific swimming accident in 2020 is talking openly about the difficulties she suffers now that she's trying date again. 

Eden Schroeder, 21, was 18 when she dived off of a boat in the Florida resort town of Naples, hitting her head on a sandbank and snapping her vertebrae, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. 

Despite the adversity, Schroeder is continuing to live life as best she can, continuing to study at Georgia State University and even getting her driver's license. She is also telling her stories on TikTok with her WheelChairintheWild account. 

The latest hurdle that Schroeder is attempting to navigate is the world of dating. 'I've been dating but it's crazy when paralyzed. There's a lot of people at 21 who aren't ready for that, so I've been trying to date a bit older,' she said in a new interview. 

With good reason too after she recounted what one young suitor once told her. 'One guy I recently dated said he liked dating me because he knows "I won't be able to go out and cheat," which was crazy to me.' 

When Schroeder was first injured she begged paramedics to 'fix her' as they rushed her to an intensive care unit. 

In the years since, the Georgia-native says she has regained some movement in her arms and passed her driving test but says 'old people judge her' for using disabled spaces as she appears 'too young' to require them - until she gets out of the car. 

The TikTok star says that she's also using her experiences to help coach newly-disabled people to adjust to life. 

During her latest interview, Schroeder went into detail about that fateful day in November 2020. 

'We stopped to swim. I used to be a swimmer in high school and I did it competitively since I was about four.'

'I was a confident swimmer so I didn't think anything would be wrong. I dove off the boat head first and went into the sandbar head first.'

'I completely severed my vertebrae, so I was immediately paralyzed. I was face down under the water.'

'I couldn't move my arms, couldn't move my entire body.'

'It's very strange how comforting it was, but I wasn't scared at all.' 

'It was actually one of the most calm times of my life just because I felt very safe. It was warm and felt like everything was going to be okay.'

 Schroeder added that she was able to speak even though her lungs were partially paralyzed. 

'I was still able to talk, so I told everyone I was okay and I was just in shock and just needed to lay down for a second.'

'After a couple of minutes they were pulling my arms side to side to see if I could move, and nothing was happening. I couldn't move.'

'The last words I remember saying to the paramedic were, "Please, fix me."'

'After that, because of the drugs and stuff I don't remember anything.'

Now, her body remains 80 percent paralyzed but she continues moving forward. In the wake of her injury, friends set up a GoFundMe page for Schroeder. 

At the time of writing, the page has raised $175,000. Her mother, Christina, wrote on that page in February, that her daughter has received many 'you never will again' situations from doctors but she continues to defy them. 

'She is a true testament to living each day to the fullest with a positive attitude and with a smile on her face,' Christina wrote.  

Going back to dating, Schroeder said that despite the setbacks: 'It's been interesting. You find good people too though.'

While her driving career has also started however due to the severity of her injuries, her car has numerous modifications. 

'There's hand controls. So there's one hand control that you push for brake and pull for gas, and then one on the steering wheel that helps you steer.'

'I just recently passed and I'm safe to drive. It's been nice to get some of my independence back and envision what my life will be like,' she said. 

Schroeder ultimately hopes that accident will encourage water safety as she strives to become a competitive para swimmer. 

'It can happen to anyone at any point in time so it's always good to be cautious. It completely changes the direction of your life.'

'I used to be a swimmer when I was young. I started competitively when I was around four and then I did it all throughout high-school but quit when I went to college.'

Her closing message is also typically inspiring.

'Always be kind to people and empathetic.'