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SCI Superstar: Daryl “Chill” Mitchell
Maybe you recognize him from NBC’s Ed or maybe you remember him from when he could walk when he was in Veronica’s Closet. Or maybe it was that show Brothers on Fox a few years back. That’s what’s so incredibly blog-worthy (times infinity) about Daryl “Chill” Mitchell is that he’s had this amazingly long acting career, millions recognize him, but he’s managed to do all this despite becoming a wheelchair-user midway through his career. This was not something he had planned for (obviously). Daryl was a tall drink of water before his motorcycle accident. Being naturally funny, he was cast in dozens of TV shows and movies in the 1990′s,…
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Push Girls Episode 7 review: This Is How You Get Through
In this episode, Chelsie and the girls dish on men (sex in the chair revealed!), three of them perform hip-hop at the Abilities Expo (and overcome a move gone wrong) and Angela finally finds a casting agent who thinks she has a real shot in the modeling industry. This is my favorite episode yet (by far). SPOILERS AHEAD **** Episodes 7 begins with the utterly adorable (and god damn is she in good shape) Chelsie rolling up to Auti’s house for a dance practice session with Auti and Mia (for an upcoming performance at the Abilities Expo in San Jose), for their wheelchair hip-pop wheelchair dance group, Colours ‘n Motion…
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Two video-fied extremes of ‘adaptive’ yoga
“Wheelchair yoga?” Nah, I’ll take the term “adaptive yoga” any day. Getting out of your wheelchair and onto the mat is one of the best things about an adaptive yoga class. An “out of the wheelchair” yoga class is more like it. The following two videos – one of a crazily agile paraplegic, the other a high level quadriplegic who needs assistance when practicing – show how no matter your level of spinal cord injury, you can still get out of the chair and do yoga. The first video comes from our member Wheelz04. He is a T6-8 paraplegic and is totally into yoga. Since he has full upper-body movement…
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Would you date another wheeler?
I had a guy in a wheelchair write me the other day asking if I’d ever date another wheeler. He wasn’t hitting on me. He just wanted to know my opinion (and for good reason too). He was on a disability message board and this question was being bantered about. Much to his surprise, most of the wheelers said they’d never date another person in a wheelchair. He was appalled at the hypocrisy. Yes this is hypocrisy bro. I don’t blame you for getting annoyed. But I’ve long known about this attitude; an attitude that is very prevalent in the wheelchair-using community. It’s an understandable and practical mindset to have.…
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SCI Superstar: Shannon Murray
Some might say it’s ridiculous to think you could ever become a successful model if you have a disability. Definitely not true. Shannon Murray, a professional model and actress from the UK, didn’t subscribe to this sorry attitude after her injury (and to the delighted eyes of many). Shannon entered the disability world after breaking her neck in a diving accident when she was just 14 (while vacationing with family). She was injured at the C7 level, but was incredibly lucky and was able to leave the hospital a functioning T2 paraplegic (she had an incomplete injury of course). Growing up though, Shannon was all about acting and performance art.…
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Push Girls Episode 6 review: Fired Up
It was bound to happen, an episode that centers on the always delightfully controversial topic – stem cells. Drama ahoy (and swimming too)! SPOILERS AHEAD **** Episode six starts out with a nice shot of Mia driving her convertible, wearing black lace tights and a white lacy skirt. She meets Tiphany for a workout session, where they discuss the annoyances of working out so fiercely that you can’t transfer back into your car, and other such amusing foibles that only people with spinal cord injuries could get. I think it’s great the show is having the girls explain their abilities post-injury, in relation to their specific injury location, which is…
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Amazing paralyzed crotch rocket rider
It’s true, Brian Kinney, a T1 paraplegic from Ohio, broke his back riding his motorcycle. Call it sad, tragic, no question it was all of those things. But Brian still loved to ride. So after coming home from the hospital, he decided to get back on the road – out on the same bike (a Kawasaki Ninja 650R) – only with few modifications this time around. And he recorded it for your viewing pleasure. I was pretty amazed when I first saw his video. I honestly never thought it was possible for someone paralyzed to ride a motorcycle with only two wheels. Never, never, never (does that make me naive?…
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Podcast #87: Reveca Torres – Fashionista, SCI Support Ring Leader
In Episode #87 of No Free Rides, Tiffiny talks yoga, fashion and the make-or-break importance of family and peer support when you have a spinal cord injury with the founder of Backbones (one of the best SCI support networks out there), Reveca Torres.
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Push Girls Episode 5 review: How Did We Get Here
This episode really struck a chord with me. It shows two of the girls, Tiphany and Mia, facing one of my greatest fears – speed dating. And Angela deals with the mixed feelings she’s having towards her husband, Dustin (who she’s separated from), who comes to visit her for a few days in LA. I hate to say it, but Angela is starting to drive me crazy. SPOILERS AHEAD **** Episode 5 begins with Angela getting her hair washed at the kitchen sink. Her PCA/Auntie Judy says the most offensive thing about Angela (not to her face, but still), “She’s like a baby,“ as she talks about how important she…
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SCI Superstar: Tim Strachan
“Go Stags!” is a chant Tim Strachan, 34, heard all the time as the starting quarterback for DeMatha Catholic High School (a premier boys high school in Maryland). And no wonder, at 6’3, 215 lbs, with a “spectacular arm,” Tim was a beast (and the ’beast’ Joe Paterno wanted as Penn State’s next quarterback). Then everything changed right before his senior year. A day at Bethany Beach landed Tim with a broken C5 vertebrae. He underwent a massive 19 hour neck surgery and had to spend the next several months in rehab. That was over 18 years, and a lifetime ago. Broken neck? Don’t take Tim down for the count.…
