In 2001 I was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left me paraplegic from my lower chest down. I suffered a complete spinal cord injury from T6-T7 having my spine fused from T3-T10. After about a year in the hospital, I had no choice but to keep moving forward and learn to do everything from the beginning. Simple things from getting dressed, to driving a modified vehicle and learning to maneuver the world in my new “hot wheels”. My life had drastically changed and i had to shift my attitude towards my injury and my new life. With time, i learned to play the sports i once loved. Happy i could play these sports again it led to increased confidence and opened the door to other possibilities, friendships and community.
Noticing i was inspiring others by playing adaptive sports like Wheelchair Tennis and Handcycling, I began mentoring others with similar injuries, helping them integrate back into society, in both sports and in life leading by example.