Gary and Steve Laugh at Wheelchairs

Let me tell you about Gary.  Gary has that dreadful disease Multiple Sclerosis, more commonly known as MS. Gary has suffered from MS for most of his life but it's only in the last couple of years that it has affected his body to the degree that walking is now virtually impossible.

I've watched Gary struggle with the aid of someone holding his arm, then later using a walking stick.  He used to commute by train every day to the university where he worked and had to be transported by car to the train station each morning and picked up each evening.

That wasn't so bad, although getting up a flight of steps was something else, generally placed in the too hard basket. Now, Gary cannot walk at all and requires the use of a wheelchair.

But that's not the end of the world for him by a long way. He's a prolific writer with quite a number of  published books and only recently was so proud to be presented with his doctorate, a tremendous achievement.

Gary at his Doctorate Presentation Evening

Gary and members of his family enjoying a drink
after the Doctorate Presentation

Has losing the use of his legs and becoming one of wheelchairs newest users slowed Gary down or made him become less of a contributor to society?  Absolutely not.  What a guy, he's a champion and his drive, determination and success with a disability is an example to the rest of us.  Life in a wheelchair for Gary is no different from life without the necessity of a wheelchair.  Gary laughs at wheelchairs.

Then there's Steve who works in airline goods transport.  Steve's in a wheelchair and like Gary, lives his life as if he had full use of his legs. 

Steve might not be able to use his legs but crikey, can he use his upper body!  He's a para olympian weightlifter and has enjoyed great success in his chosen wheelchair sport.  Although I'm not what you'd consider a big man by any stretch of the imagination, I'm not a midget either and Steve can lift me with no trouble at all high above his head and the power he has in his upper body is simply awesome.

Does Steve bother about the fact that he has no use of his legs?  Does he allow the fact that he has to spend life in a wheelchair get him down?  Again, like Gary, absolutely not!  Steve also laughs at wheelchairs.