Editor’s Note: When a tree-cutting accident in 2010 led to broken bones, a separated shoulder, and a punctured aorta, it seemed that Arthur Torrey had miraculously escaped any spinal cord damage. However, after undergoing emergency surgery to patch up his aorta, he woke up a paraplegic. Describing himself as a tool geek, handyman, and heavy […]
Editor’s Note: A botched hernia operation during infancy left James Norris with cerebral palsy. Though he was able to get around with a walker throughout the early years of his life, the time constraints of switching classes in high school coupled with teenage laziness made using a wheelchair a necessity. Fast forward to adulthood, Norris moved […]
Editor’s Note: A Texas coast native, David Gaston has been in and around the water his whole life. Obtaining his scuba certification at the age of 13 and then working as a commercial diver in the oil fields just out of high school, Gaston turned his passion for all things aquatic into a career. After […]
When life-long dancer Beverly Weurding was diagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy at the age of 55, she thought her days of doing the rumba and cha-cha would soon be over. Not ready to put away her dancing shoes, she was determined to find a way to continue and help other wheelchair users experience the same […]
Editor’s Note: Justin Malaise grew up in small-town Wisconsin as a star three-sport high school athlete. One month after graduation, a car accident left him in a wheelchair forcing him to forgo his plans of playing college ball. After spending the entire summer in the hospital, Malaise left home for college without having had the […]
Editor’s Note: Wilderness on Wheels (WOW) is a foundation and a 501(c)(3) non-profit offering accessible hiking, camping and fishing near Grant, Colorado. Wheel:Life writer, Betsy Bailey, chatted with the managing director, Barbara Cramer, to get their full story. Roger West and the Beginnings of WOW Many years ago, a gentleman named Roger West bought the […]
Editor's Note: Chances are, you've seen these ladies performing on social media or at a dance event before today, but you may have known their dance troupe by a different name. Formerly known as the Walk and Roll Dance Team, the Rollettes' organization has evolved and they are now embracing an EPIC project as part […]
Our friends at GRIT, the makers of the revolutionary Freedom Chair, believe that we all go further when we go together. Call it collaboration or teamwork or cooperation; at the end of the day, we can accomplish so much more if we work together. And just as we would work together on the trail to […]
The first self-propelled push-rim wheelchair was patented in 1881 by James Heath. While wheelchair design has evolved considerably since then, the basic concept of push-rim propulsion has remained largely unchanged, despite the fact that our understanding of the human body has grown leaps and bounds beyond what it was at that time. If we look at […]
Going for a hike may seem daunting, but for wheelchair riders, the numerous physical and mental benefits of hiking are a powerful motivator. Staying active and exercising regularly are key components to maintaining physical health, but hiking goes beyond the simple benefits of exercise. There is abundant scientific proof that outdoor hiking and increased time […]
