LIVE QUICKIE BLOG

Can anyone tell your story better than you? Can another person passionately speak up against changes that negatively impact your ability to maintain independence and quality of life the way that you can?

I'd always wanted to visit Alaska. My original plan was to graduate from college and ride a motorcycle from my home in Colorado to Alaska and see as much wilderness as I could muster. Unfortunately, when I graduated from college I had neither the motorcycle nor the financial stability to make that trip a reality. Then, of course, I broke my neck and everything changed.

Finding the right college or university when you have a disability can be a daunting and overwhelming task, but don't fret! We've collected six of the best, most accessible schools here. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped relieve a lot of worries, but it is important to know what awesome opportunities are available for those students with disabilities to maximize their college experience. Many colleges provide academic assistive programs, personal care assistants, transportation, and even adaptive sports teams!

I competed in wheelchair sports events ranging from basketball to table tennis to track for most of my life. I represented Hong Kong in the 1972 Paralympics and I represented Canada in the 1976, 1980, and 1984 Paralympics, earning silver medals in the table tennis event.

It was in that moment when I decided it was time. I am ready. I need to learn to drive, not only for the sake of all those wonderful cheeseburgers waiting, but for my own sake. My injury allows me a bit more independence than some, so what is stopping me? Absolutely nothing.