I kind of figured he did have a button inside the car to close the trunk. I have a base Subaru Forester that doesn't have that feature but I think most of the higher trims do.
Do you realize how many people are gonna see your content and one day be much more abled just because you took the time and effort to put this content out? It’s gonna be an unreal number dude. Keep it up. You’re truly inspiring
To those who don't understand how he drives if he cannot use his legs: there are device and modifications that can be used on cars that allows a person to activate the pedals with their hands. You can a bit of the device he uses as he's getting in the car. Hope this helps other people understand better ❤
Yup! My great uncle had his legs blown off in the Korean War (got the Purple Heart 💜) and ironically ended up being a car collector 😅 my grandparents took me to his garages when I was kid, the man probably had over 50 cars between the garages (they were huge pole barns, not necessarily “garages”) and every car had the mech installed so he could use his hands. Rip uncle RC 💪🏽❤️
Seeing someone who is paralyzed find ways to combat their paralysis and get through their day is just incredible it’s amazing that even if the odds aren’t in our favor we persevere this is a perfect example his immense determination is priceless.
We are ALL JUST TEMPORARILY "ABLED!" Good for you to looking into alternative ways to be independent! I watched OT videos on You Tube and learned how to get onto my feet after a fall all by myself. 74👩🦽
Just be a little mindful of your wording. The phrase “combat their paralysis” can be seen by many in the disabled community as seeing disabilities as a bad thing and tragic. I think a more inclusive alternative would be to just say to find accommodations for, or something to that effect. Your comment is a lot like when people tell disabled people that they’re “brave”. They’re just living their life and finding ways to be more independent. It’s kind of like, if you know you’re a deep sleeper, you get yourself a very loud alarm clock and maybe set more than one alarm. Or, if you’re short, you clamber onto counters to reach the top cabinets in a kitchen and keep a stool around. Seeing paralysis as just another way of being decreases stigma and combats ableism. (Thank you for coming to my TED talk)
@@Johnsonlui7707Not necessarily, I can do chin ups, run half marathons, bike 100+ km, but no pull ups. I would not say I am not fit, I just use my muscles differently
Man Im losing function right now and your courage to keep trying is immense. Being independent while disabled is hard (no duh) and I hope to emulate your strength in my own life.
I'm sure you're really struggling mentally with that and I'm really sorry. There's plenty of support groups on multiple social media apps and I recommend joining them. It's hard to talk to friends or family about that stuff because they try to understand but of course they just can't, sadly. Wish you the best, we all do this together as a team❤
Hey it's hard but never impossible! Gratefully I've gotten tonality and muscle use back and even now 14 years on, I never forget what it takes to overcome. I still have muscle issues and joint problems but I'm walking, and even if I never could again there are ways to stay mobile
My father had a c6-7 fusion after the crushed after a work accident. Luckily no paralysis outside of atrophy of his arm for years. My older brother is also spastic quadriplegic from Cerebral palsy. I commend anyone that can overcome or at the very least live a happy life when dealt with an injury like that. Also kudos to your family. I helped be a care taker from my earliest memories to 18 for my older brother before we got him placed. It’s not for the faint of heart and is not easy for anyone.
I broke my L1 a couple of years ago. I got lucky it was a clean compression fracture and healed without any long term damage but I was in pain for a while. I’m hoping your son recovers well!
I wish your son a long and fulfilling life. I used to work in home health care and worked with a lot of quad/paraplegic men and women. Some as young as 25. Keep him motivated. Keep encouraging him to do as much as he can by himself. Let him try, let him fail, let him try again. The best thing you can do for him is be there and push him to get better and better. You are his biggest support system. Encourage him to interact with others with similar injuries. Sending you all lots of love and happiness ❤❤ stay strong and stay hopeful ❤
My dad has been paralyzed in his right leg after he got in a car accident and broke his back 30 years ago. It’s astonishing to see the amount of progress that he has made from age 15 to 45, and still improving his mobility skills and finding new ways to complete daily tasks easier with his disability. Keep on going ❤
I do hope that paralysis is gonna be one of those diseases that we'll be able to cure someday soon, or at least prevent better/more advanced care at the moment of injury. Here's hoping 🤞 (the future's gonna be cool though)
@@agawied2910 It's not, but they did say "paralysis". which could come from either disease or injury. I assume they just want treatment advanced in general for paralysis.
@@agawied2910”Just speaking on the OP”….. To which you didn’t need to. The person wasn’t talking about OPs situation in general, they’re talking about paralysis in general. It would have sounded weird if they would have said “I do hope that paralysis is gonna be one of those traumatic injuries that we’ll be able to cure someday soon.” That doesn’t make sense as you don’t “cure” an injury, you treat or heal it. You do however cure a disease. It was a stupid thing for you to try and correct anyway, and I only specified all that so you can see annoying and pointless it is when people do that. Correcting people so that you can feel “better than” for a moment is lame (even more so when they weren’t even incorrect in what they were saying, nor were you correct. It just adds another layer of stupidity to the whole thing.)
My father was paralyzed waist down and had a leg amputated at the knee in a motorcycle accident. He was still able to get in and out of his van alone if he needed to. He built this big ass workstation in our garage, he armored his jeep, added a bunch of custom lights w the wiring and shit and many other projects. He loved making things and never let his accident stop him. He was the most resilient, strong, wise person I've ever known.
My older brother had osteogenic sarcoma cancer of his leg just after basic training in 1967 while in the US Air Force. I remember him using those type of crutches learning to use his artificial leg. His cancer had already spread and he passed in 1969 at 22. I was 7 and noticed he was not breathing anymore, woke my WWII US Army Vet Dad and ran into the hall in Veteran's Hosital in Los Angeles yelling for doctors/nurses to help my brother. Thank you for doing this video. His birthday was the other day. He would have turned 76.
Sorry to hear that man… what a shame and tragedy but I guess reality is a bitch to us all at one point or another… no matter the wealth, health, or virtue, it’s gonna get us all one day or another.
My world has been rocked. I only have intermittent need for my wheelchair but I always have to ask friends or coworkers to help me get in or out. Thank you for sharing this!
I just realized a few weeks ago that i was envious of other people because i had decided i couldnt achieve what they achieved... That's like, pre-failing. So i flipped the script, decided i can't determine my limits without testing them, and since then I've been making some major progress in areas I've struggled in for years!! You embody this mindset and I'm glad to have seen your video. Thanks for sharing.
I saw this one guy drive all the way to the dispensary and open his car and get his wheelchair out while missing both of his legs. He rolled up to the door and opened it all by himself. All I could think of was how strong of a person that was and how I was being selfish for what I have.
So true must push/ test the limits! But remember is ok to have a spotter so you don’t get a setback! If you have a therapist, find one who will work with you. You can negotiate and problem solve together.
yea man. watching the simplest of things in our everyday life, we cant even imagine it being so difficult for ppl like them. Yet they thrive, with it. i am grateful for everything. 💙✌
Right? My grandpa would not have been able to just lift his wheelchair like that. That's why he had to get a van with a chair lift. He then would shift from the wheelchair to the driver seat. It was cool but a slow process.
Although I'm not paralyzed, I have severe spinal issues. People take for granted the simplest of things such as getting out of bed. I had to taught how to do the same things but just in a different way. It was a very humbling life lesson.
Well.. Yeah. Our chairs are really lightweight. Usually our frames are hollow, and made of either aerospace aluminum or titanium. The wheels are also mostly air. I think standard med chairs weigh an insane 10-15 pounds more than custom lightweight manual chairs like his and mine.
I don't think any fully abled body person will truly appreciate the sense of pride in independence you feel doing seeminly mundane tasks. Props to you for inspiring others ❤
Too many times we succumb to the perceived limitations of our situations. Thank you for showing our only real limits are those we put on ourselves ❤❤❤❤❤
This reminds me of my late grandpa. He was able to walk a few steps after getting his wheelchair in, the same way you do. I now have his car, and it holds sentimental value. I never want to get rid of it although it's getting old, that car is very dear to me.
Nice! My grandpa's truck was also my first vehicle after he died when I turned 16, but unfortunately it was very heavily used when we got it. It only lasted a couple years til we had to get rid of it.
One of the most motivating things in the world is seeing other people do everything they can to help themselves. Puts some perspective and determination to anything
This must make your life so much more independent. Getting to go places without having to worry about someone being there to help with the wheelchair. I’m so proud of you, brave stranger.
Power to you buddy. I have mobility issues also. And always find it hard to get my chair in the car on my own. You’ve just given me hope & my independence back. Thank you bro 🤗👍🏼🙏🏼 🥰
I would look into a wheelchair hoist for your boot. I’m looking for one for my next car so I can be more independent. Hopefully it happens soon 🤞🏼 idk where you live but in the uk there are certain disability benefits that help with such adaptations. All the best 😊
I remember the video you posted of you watching him do it, and tell us and yourself that you’re going to put your ALL into learning this liberating technique. I knew right away by your keen perception and integrity that you’d master it in no time. And here we are🤗☀️🫶🏼😎 Can’t wait to see what else you put your mind to and share your journey towards, with us. 😘
Being disabled means learning how to live with your body since it functions diffrently from a healthy person. I always was really happy when I discovered something new that i can do by myself so I can totally understand you and im happy for you!
Thank you so much. I've been stuck at home after having 2 strokes, 4 months ago. I already have a car extremely similar, yet my paralysed left side - made me think i couldn't do "normal" things. Thank you for showing me, as you've now changed my life.
I was born crippled. I've had around 75 surgeries in my lifetime. Don't let anything stop you from doing what you want to do. I'm 5 foot tall and I walk with a lofstrand crutch, much like the guy in the video. When I go to the store, instead of asking/ waiting for someone to help me get something off the higher shelves, I use my crutch to knock it down and then I either catch it in my hand or in the buggy. My mom drilled it into my head, when I was a kid, that I could do nearly anything that I wanted to do. She always said "my child will NOT think of herself as disabled".
I got so lucky to get a car with enough space for my chair. I have multifocal motor neuropathy, which is mainly in my legs. I don’t have an SCI, but do have nerve damage from my upper thighs down to my feet. Being able to load my chair and then walk using my cane or supporting myself on the car has given me so much more confidence and independence. I’m happy that you have found the same. The small things that able bodied people take for granted can truly change so much for those of us who struggle with them.
It is frustrating sometimes seeing able people not appreciating their health, but I like to think my disability gave me a stronger, happier state of mind because I focus on being grateful for what I can do right now, knowing my health deteriorates more every day. I've learned to appreciate the little things and I'm in a much better place now. Being able to eat and enjoy food on the days I can is better than stressing over something like not getting a reservation at a restaurant like my other family does. I won't tell you happiness is a choice, because it absolutely isn't. But it helps to just look at something and think about how nice the color is or notice where it's shadow is. A sort of meditation I guess, it becomes a habit and the world becomes a beautiful place to be
@@MmntoMorrissonThat's such a great mindset. I agree, people who have not struggled to maintain or adapt to their health simply do not appreciate the little blessings in life. They are all around us and looking for them, rather than the negative, truly is a game changer 🙌
i’m really glad youtube is showing me more positive disability content. i’ve been struggling on and off with my mobility for quite a long time, and seeing people living their lives performing day to day tasks while profoundly disabled is a really nice thing. makes me less afraid for when my connective tissues fully degenerate and i lose my mobility fully. i like seeing the positives.
Amazing!!! This is a perfect example of not letting life bring you down!!! This handsome guy is so strong and encouraging and OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!! Love this video!!!
I gotta count my blessings, im 26 years old and i broke my hip from a seizure and not being able to walk really discouraged me but seeing you do what you do really makes me shut up and realize ill be okay and i gotta count my blessings
@@kachoww5981 well I blacked out but I watched the CCTV footage of me having a seizure and I crossed my legs and my back pack I had on was super heavy and I put all my weight bearing from my right leg to my left and broke it. And no I'm not prone to seizures I am homeless and I didn't eat for 3 days and had a seizure.
@@kachoww5981some seizures are severe enough that the convulsions alone can damage the body. Not only that, but seizures can sometimes be highly unpredictable, so if it happens while you're going down the stairs, or near a low railing, you could easily fall.
You’re amazing and inspiring. When I had major surgery on my knee rendering my right leg completely out of use for months I slumped into a massive depression. I’m a person who likes to go and do physical activities. I’m a nature nerd and I own quite a few animals. Being stuck inside of one room in the house and at first not even being able to go to the bathroom on my own was so hard mentally. My movement is never gonna be the same but I’m proud to say I’m walking. I can’t stand on my knees anymore and I can’t run without looking ridiculous but I’m just incredibly greatful. You never know how much things matter until you lose it.
yeah it's clear in the way the legs bounce that he is still receiving some signal from skeletal/spinal nerves which is not the case for all paralyzed individuals unfortunately, but it can be enough to keep your legs under you with help from stabilizing implements like the crutch.
You have an amazing attitude. Your such an inspiration to other ppl. God Bless You exceedingly abundantly above and beyond ANYTHING you could ask or think!!!
Thank you for sharing this! There's so many with disabilities that need to know how you do what works for you. It makes all the difference in the world!
Dude, people like you are such an inspiration. So many out there are complaining about such trivial things while you're out there kicking ass despite your paralysis. You're awesome!
Bro both of my legs are fine , but you are more courageous, confident and enthusiastic about life than I've ever been in my entire existence, may god bless you with all the success, progress, health and happiness.
Thank you for sharing this! There is someone out there that now has learned a way that may work for them, giving them.the confidence to try. Keep it up!
Yep, i use tricks like this when my hip pops out and i can't put weight on it. It's amazing what disabled people can adapt to achieve! I'm a mum and i don't struggle with it. I've been disabled so long now it's just second nature to me.
That's so cool and very inspirational because I believe thriving is all about learning to work with what you have rather than lamenting what you don't. There are always lots of paths to the same goal. Thank you for demonstrating that belief so powerfully! I wish you an amazing life. ❤🎉
This is exactly how I felt when j went blind. It took 6 long years of severe depression to figure this out. Kudos to you for figuring it out in a year. We just have to figure out how to do things differently. Life is too short and too beautiful to miss out!
@@snr.froggymooopew7781A majority of blind people aren’t _completely_ blind and can see light and really really really really big things, thus are able to use certain accessibility tools on phones and tablets. But even for people who are 100% sightless, there are other tools now - that read everything out to you, for example. Also I could be wrong but I don’t think they were saying the driving part specifically applies to them lol - they were probably agreeing with the underlying sentiment, of “I CAN still do most anything I want to, I just have to be creative and openminded and figure out a different way.” 😊
@@snr.froggymooopew7781 I don't think they were necessarily talking about driving, but more so the the shift in perspective about what you can do. As for the typing, accessibility options, screen readers, voice to text, that sort of stuff most likely.
Bless you, young man. Post-surgery, the surgeon damaged my big toe while correcting a painful bunion. One year now, stabbing pain day & night. I can only wear particular trainers & every step I take hurts, but seeing you, a young man, getting on with your life despite the significant damage to your spine, I have to be humble. I am nearly seven decades retired with a mature family. I have nothing to complain about. Thank you for sharing & showing us how all things are possible 🙏🏾
Thank you for sharing this ! You have helped so many people by showing them how to get in and out if your car ! Your are WONDERFUL ! Blessings to you from Michigan !
I used to take care of a patient who had a truck with a big mechanical arm that picked the chair up and put it in the back of truck. Keep up the good work. God be with you and give you strength.🙏😇
Well may God continue to bless you young man. I'm very proud of you! From a life long RN & even worked on rehab fl for over 6 yrs. ❤🙏🏻😅🥰 I am so happy for you son.
You are so awesome man!! What an crazy improvement to your movement and independence! I hope more people see this and are inspired to do the PT exercises to gain this strength based skill.
As a nurse from switzerland it is stunshing to see your actions and self-retaught your mobility to this state. Thankful to the little things, in response for the own well-beeing. Guete cheib. Keep going.
I am so very elated to see you're not letting life pass you by but doing all you can do. So many who can do so much limit themselves! God bless you, Sincerely.
My favorite, my favorite continue to inspire you are so beautiful. You are the epitome, the epitome of courage under the fire. May your faith continue to grow, and I celebrate your victory to walk in advance.🎉❤🙏🏽
The car gets modified, there's like a handle they install in cars that can control the pedals and you can pull and push with your hand if I recall correctly. My father had a car that had this since he is handicapped.
I broke my leg very badly 4 years ago... 3 months of complete bed rest. We don't realize how much our muscles atrophy in just a few months! Took me 6 months to learn how to walk again with no muscle strength in either leg and a completely repaired plated, pinned and screwed together left leg. The first couple months was just learning how to walk with crutches. And then without crutches, learning tasks unassisted, navigating stairs. So much of the things that we take for granted in our daily life. Very pale in comparison to lifetime limitations, but I have a deep empathy now for people with limited mobility. Cherish your health.
Yes, its so scary. One time my dad needed to be hospitalized (he was fighting metastasized melanoma) and was prolly in the bed for week maybe and had lost so much use of his legs. It was shocking! We thought he was going go bounce back … It started the ball rolling of his complete loss of use, his oncologist couldn’t even tell us why it was happening. We had to rent a hospital bed, we had to go to a few places desperately looking for a wheelchair (because he was a vet we got one from our local vet branch can’t remember the name off the top of my head its been about 6 years now I believe), we had to rent this thing called a hoya lift and thankfully our neighbor was handy he was able to set up some plywood boards over our steps and made a very steep ramp that me abd my mom had to pull/push him up. We also were very lucky we had transportation in our town for 2 bucks that had one of those handicap lifts on it. It was a nightmare to go through, but as you’re going through it you just keep going. He passed away June 2015. I’m so proud of you to persevere, I’m so sorry you had to go through something like this. I hope you’re doing better. I hope you have good things happen in your life.
This helped too when I was in a wheelchair. I watched my friend do it and thank goodness I did! I was able to be independent and not depend on people to help me all the time.
Dude I love that you are finding ways to make life easier and have such a great attitude. Best of luck in all you do. Keep up the good work man. Take care and be safe. You make me feel like a crappy person. I complain about stuff every day and have a gloomy outlook most of the time. You seem so upbeat and happy. I wish I was capable of that. Stress keeps me down a lot right now i suppose. Again, best of luck and hope every day is a good day.
You could have been bitter and given up. You could have made life unhappy for everyone around you. Instead, you don't give up. If you want to do something, you find a way to do it. This is the sign of a real man.
you can say he’s nice without calling people who aren’t happy about their paralysis weak… a depressed vet isn’t less of a man bc he’s resentful. wtf kinda thought process is that.
I’m glad that the people in this reply section are seeing the massive insult to those in the same shoes as the creator of this video. People can be as unfortunate as another person and feel a lot worse, but you don’t know what that person went through before all of it - so it’s best to just be kind to everyone instead of insulting those who feel like giving up.
I had a paraplegic friend in high school. He drove just fine. His parents had his car modified so that he could control everything by hand. That was over 25 years ago, I’m sure things have gotten far more advanced by now.
@@TwinkleToesX86 Yeah, those have been around a long time. I had a teacher in middle school in the mid-80s in a wheelchair... he had hand controls so he could drive.
You are such an inspiration to many people in various stages of disabilities to think “outside the box” and try a different way to get from point A to B! Wishing you all the best!
