Daniel Gottlieb, a psychologist and family therapist in New Jersey, received the award along with other 11 winners. The medal has been awarded annually since being established in 1998 by the Taiwan-based Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Education Foundation.

Gottlieb was paralyzed below the neck in a traffic accident 30 years ago while out looking for a gift for his wife for their 10th wedding anniversary. He was 33 at the time.

Full of remorse and unable to accept his condition after the accident, Gottlieb suffered further blows when his wife divorced him and his parents and sister died within the next five years, leaving him no reason to stay alive.

While he was lying in an intensive care unit one night and wishing he would not have to wake up after shutting his eyes, a nurse in grief asked him whether he would counsel her on dealing with the pain and grief she felt after losing a loved one.

Gottlieb listened and helped alleviate her pain, making him realize that he still had the ability to help people and spread love.

After that, he resumed his professional practice.

Gottlieb said that although the traffic accident took away the use of his body, he still had the ability to alleviate other's pain as a psychologist.

"Books only taught me psychology superficially. The accident that disabled my limbs taught me to sit quietly and open my heart and listen to the world," he said.

Gottlieb also hosts a radio show on Philadelphia's National Public Radio station and has also written a column for the Philadelphia Inquirer for 10 years.

He has also written a number of books on psychotherapy, including "Voices of Conflict: Voices of Healing, " which is a compilation of some of his columns and observations from his professional experience.

Another of his works, "Letters to Sam, " which has sold 2 million copies in America, was written for his autistic grandson Sam.

Gottlieb donated the book's royalties to organizations that treat autism and deal with other children's health issues.

(By Ruth Wang)