LIVE QUICKIE BLOG

It has been 10 years since I was in that motorcycle accident that left me paralyzed from the waist down. I was 18 when that happened, and I had no idea what the future held. But if you were to ask me back then if I thought I would be where I am today: graduated with a Master's degree in social work and about to start working towards my dream job of becoming an Assistive Technology Professional, along with having won a Gold Medal in the Paralympics...I would have said yes. Being the best that I can be, whatever it is that I do, is the driving force inside of me.

There is no greater feeling of anticipation than sitting in a ready position at the starting line of a dragon boat race. Our paddlers are leaning forward, eyes locked straight ahead, paddles deep in the water waiting for the sound of the air horn to ring through the air. Our steersman is crouched and ready to steer a straight line. Our drummer waits for the signal. "We have alignment! Sterns ready! Attention!"

As a parent to a child who uses a wheelchair, I was honored to be asked to write a blog for LiveQuickie. I asked a few times what I should write about? Some of the suggestions included advice to other parents, Talia's story, traveling, traditions, basically anything I wanted. I agreed that telling my daughter Talia's story was the best way to begin.

I've walked across Death Valley, biked in three Los Angeles marathons, and pedaled my way across the country twice. These athletic feats would be considered amazing accomplishments for most people. But for me? I was told by doctors that I had a one-in-a-million chance of ever feeding myself after a motocross accident left me paralyzed with a severe spinal cord injury at the age of 20. These accomplishments take on a whole new meaning and, in reflection, are mind-blowing to think about.

I've been fortunate to try quite a few adaptive sports over years, but none have made a larger impact than wheelchair rugby. Rugby is so much more than just a sport to me. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely the typical sport aspects such as conditioning, practicing, training, and the inherent ups and downs of playing a team sport, but there's so much more that I initially didn't realize existed.