After the accident, I woke up in the hospital unable to see, my eyes were bandaged and a tube down my throat left me unable to speak. I was unable to move my legs. Somewhere in the darkness, there was a priest asking me if I wanted him to pray for me.

One of the interesting things about being knocked unconscious in an accident, is that your brain does not have enough time to record what happened and can spare you the terror of living the episode over and over again. Other than a few moments at the crash site where I have recollection of some of the sounds and telling someone to be careful moving me, the only part of the time line I remember was a few moments before the crash. So waking up in a hospital, unable to see, move or talk was very nightmareish, to say the least.

Having almost died with three children and a wife to care for. Life became a gift for me. Rehabilitation took a while and physical therapy was grueling but life became regular again and I started to explore being physically challenged.

I do not like the term handicapped, and do not think the term “disabled” should ever used to describe a human. I understand, people need to use terms for reference and if this must be so, I prefer “physically challenged”.

Life does show me that I am challenged to lead a life missing the lower part of my legs, but that does not mean that I should give up on the things that I want to do physically.

Since 1997 I was on the US Sailing Team for 10 years and received a Bronze Medal for Sailing in the 2004 Athens Paralympics.

I have been National Champion and National Disabled Champion for sailing a single man boat and held National Titles for Sailing on Team Boats.

I have climbed the great wall of China.

I hang my own Christmas Lights each Christmas, yes climbing a ladder.

I have kayaked for 8 days down the Salmon River.

When I turned 50, I bicycled across the Unites States with a friend of mine. It took us 68 days. We started in Anacortes, Washington, where we put our rear tires in the Pacific Ocean and 68 days later we put out front tires in the Atlantic Ocean at Newport, Rhode Island.

I dance Salsa.

I play Pickleball 3 or 4 days a week.

I ride horses.

I am a better snow skier than when I had my legs.

Do I have a condition that disables me? Hmmm..I think not!