Imagine having your whole world turned upside down in a matter of seconds. Bryan will never forget the tragic day that changed his life forever.
It happened last year. Bryan was on vacation with his wife and two kids at their favourite spot on the coast of Nicaragua. He was body surfing when a strong wave tossed him. Bryan hit his head on a shallow sandbar. It was a scary moment for the family man. “I was floating with my head down and my limbs dangling. And my only thought was that I’m going to drown right here in front of my kids.”
Bryan’s 15-year-old son jumped into action and pulled him to the beach. Edward’s quick response saved his father’s life. But the impact of the accident had broken Bryan’s neck. He was now paralyzed and faced a long difficult journey.
A spinal cord injury is devastating. It affects every aspect of daily life and the lives of loved ones. But you can make a difference. Thanks to your generosity, we bring people together and provide the answers that make living with a physical disability a little easier.
Panic, uncertainty and emergency surgery followed the incident. Being so far away from their home in Golden was tough on the close-knit family. They were relieved when Bryan was finally transported back to Vancouver for further treatment. Now came the daunting task of adjusting to life from a wheelchair.
Bryan discovered early on how important peer support is. He learned of our programs and met our friendly Peer Coordinator during his three-month rehab stay in Vancouver. “I would go see Ryan whenever I felt lost. I knew that I would come out of that office feeling a whole lot better about myself and my future. And there were social nights. Ryan ordered pizza and got all of us ‘inmates’ together and we talked. Sometimes it was just about everyday things. It made us feel normal again. I even went to a Canadians baseball game that Ryan organized. My wife Amie came along. We met amazing people there who have been living with an injury for a long time. Hearing their stories gave us hope for our future.”
This is the power of peer support! We host events across the province that bring people together. It’s a chance to meet others, share tips and tricks, laugh, sometimes cry, and ultimately learn about life with a spinal cord injury. And it’s your generous support that makes all this possible.
Back home in Golden, Bryan struggled to move on with his life. He didn’t feel ready for any of this. To make matters worse it was wintertime. The snow should have been a welcome sight. Bryan had been a helicopter skiing guide and loved the outdoors. Now he was stuck in his living room waiting for the snow plough to come just so he could go outside in his wheelchair.
That first winter was tough. Then Bryan started having weekly chats with a special person. Someone who has a similar disability and understands what he is going through. Mary-Jo provides health coaching through our Peer Program. She helped Bryan set goals, learn about nutrition and realize that life can be good again. “Mary-Jo taught me so much. Little tricks and techniques from her own experiences. She’s the one who encouraged me to get a power assist for my manual chair. It’s been liberating. My electric chair now just sits and collects dust.”
Bryan is doing much better now. But he still worries about the impact the accident is having on his family. That’s why Bryan was so excited to attend our popular adaptive recreation weekend at Whistler this summer. It was a chance to unwind, build friendships, try new activities and enjoy the outdoors with his wife and daughter, Amaya.
“It was the most fun I’ve had since I broke my neck. I went paddleboarding with my daughter. That was so special. And kayaking, too. I tried yoga for the first time in my life. And in the evening Ryan put together the funniest trivia night ever. We all laughed so hard. The best part was that Amaya got to see me back out on the water doing things. And to see me having more of a normal weekend hanging out with a good group of people. It showed us that we can have fun outdoors and be active together as a family. That tops it all.”
Bryan knows that adjusting to life with a spinal cord injury is not easy. There will be bumps along the way. But he now has the peer support, tools and knowledge to help him on his journey. Bryan says our programs saved his life. With another winter coming, he plans to take advantage of our online activities and keep those important peer connections going. Bryan is also ready to get outdoors more and discover new things that he can do with Amie, Edward and Amaya. And the family eventually hopes to travel again. When the time comes to hop on a plane, Bryan will reach out. He laughs, “I haven’t met anybody in a wheelchair who travels more than Ryan does. He’s got all the answers.”
With thanks,
Ed Milligan
Chair, SCI BC Board of Directors
