Dave

My name is Dave. I’m 37. I’m a C5 quadriplegic and was injured 20 years ago in a motorcycle accident. I used to race motocross. I was really good, and its nice – its nice to be able to get out there, but I think most of all what I get out of it is that I’m doing something active, something that makes me feel again like an athlete.

The bike itself is a little bit different than a normal bike. It is three wheels; it has two wheels in the rear and one in front. Both pedals are lined up so they go the same way around. There are braces that go around my hands and my wrists which hold my hands to what would be the pedals for the bike, and my arms are strapped in the same position and I pedal it around with my arms like this. Its fun, you know, to be out there – biking along the Esplanade. When I was just out there today, there was a guy sitting on a bench and he was you know, shaking his head saying ‘You go man’ and he didn’t want to arm wrestle me he said..so... it was pretty funny.

Well, I think when you live with a disability you realize that there are a lot of small things that people who are able-bodied maybe just take for granted. There are challenges that able-bodied people would have no idea about, about what someone in my position would go through. Just simple things - like being able to feed yourself or get something out of the refrigerator, or you know, go from here to there. You really end up relying on others to help you out with so much.

I think the one thing that’s good for kids to know is that we’re - we’re normal people too and we can still do a lot of the things that able-bodied people can do. We just have to do things differently. Your life can change dramatically in seconds and becoming disabled, or having a spinal cord injury can happen to you – can happen to anyone. If you have beliefs that, you know, you can still do things and reach goals despite, you know, being disabled you’re gonna get more accomplished and, you know, be a better person and be comfortable – more comfortable – with yourself. That’s what I’ve done all along. I try not to dwell more on the things I can’t do, as opposed to what I can.