by Tiff -

Ms. Wheelchair Montana 2014 is a mom, wife and gun advocate

One look at rolling red-haired beauty Starla Hilliard-Barnes, and you probably wouldn’t be too surprised to hear she’s Ms. Wheelchair Montana 2014. But you might be surprised to find out a few other things. An avid dirt biker and the devoted mother to a 2 year old girl, this 26 year old paraplegic isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.

Her journey into paralysis however wasn’t that long ago. Having already run for a national pageant title and won, as well as founded a nonprofit dedicated to help others with disabilities explore the world via outdoor adventures, she’s taken her accident and made something good out of it. We love people just like her.

A fighter, dreamer and epic survivor, this is the beautiful story of the Starla Hilliard-Barnes. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Ashlee Lundvall

Growing up with a Dad as a pastor, Ashley Lundvall was raised to be positive, but after a teenage freak accident, her nature was challenged….but only for a short while.

Now a motivational speaker, Ms. Wheelchair Wyoming, a wife and mother, this determined woman got over her fears and vowed early on her wheelchair wouldn’t take anything more from her. Strong women are what we love to profile here at SPINALpedia, and Ashlee Lundvall could very well be the cover girl for them.

Whether she’s hunting in the wilderness of Wyoming or taking her daughter out shopping, she is a great example of what can be achieved in spite of a spinal cord injury, and we love her for it. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Tasha Schuh

Author, singer, inspirational speaker, proud owner of a van she calls “Go Go Gadget,” oh and did I mention she’s Ms. Wheelchair USA 2012? Tasha Schuh, from Ellsworth, Wisconsin, is one of the most glowing, driven women you’ll ever meet.

But she wasn’t always this way. After breaking her neck backstage during a theater production in high school (she was a singer herself), she stepped into an open trap door she didn’t know was behind her, and her life was changed forever. She fell 16 feet, hitting the cement floor and breaking her C5 vertebrae on impact.

But after a year of depression, she started to see a good life with paralysis was still possible, and began to look forward to heal – a common saying that was soon to become her mantra. Read this entry