At 28, he was enrolled in Jackson State University.
He was a vet, having served in the USAF from 1951-1960.
If he had a back injury, it could be because he was shot by Aubrey James Norvell in 1966, during the March Against Fear.
Or, he may have tripped during his work as an active Republican, or his campaign as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Mississippi, or while serving as a WDC aide to Jesse Helms.
That he was a serving veteran and active supporter of Republican ideals is a very comforting thought. Thanks.