If you asked Dan Via, he would tell you that he lived a pretty idyllic and privileged life: a successful pediatrician, a Juilliard-trained musician and happily married. Then in 2011, while on vacation, he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him initially paralyzed from the neck down. Dan shares his story of letting go of the life he knew and being open to a life of renewed possibilities - a life examined.
Dan Via is a pediatrician with Sentara Pediatric Physicians in Williamsburg, VA. He has been in practice for 23 years. Supporting moms and dads in their journeys as parents has been immensely rewarding. Dan grew up in Charlottesville, VA, attended Duke University, received a Master’s degree from the Juilliard School in New York, and then spent seven years as the principal bassist of the Virginia Symphony. He then returned to Duke for medical school, was a resident physician at the UNC-Chapel Hill Medical Center, and subsequently moved back to Virginia to begin practice in Williamsburg. In 2011, Dan suffered a significant spinal cord injury that initially left him paralyzed from the neck down. He was hospitalized for three months and underwent several surgical procedures. Graced with a substantial recovery, he has a renewed vision of life and its possibilities. Dan’s wife, Susan, is a violinist and a member of the music faculty at William and Mary. They have 2 sons, Forrest and Nathan – one is a William and Mary law student, and the other is a graduate of James Madison University. Dan enjoys recumbent cycling, yoga, reading, and cooking.