Mobility Friends Together

The Paralympics are set to begin next week and many athletes from all over the World are heading to Beijing for the games. Among them is a tennis star named Gordon Reid, who is 16 years old.

Reid has been playing tennis since he was 6 years old. He continued to be very active in sports, including football, until just prior to his 13th birthday he was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, which is a neurological condition that affects the spinal cord.

After his diagnosis and subsequent paralysis, Reid did not give up. The tennis club he belongs to started a fundraiser to buy him a wheelchair that was configured for wheelchair tennis. The club, Helensburgh Tennis Club, was able to raise these funds in only a short time and used them to buy a wheelchair for another athlete as well.

Only six months after being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, Reid won his first wheelchair tennis tournament and since he has rose through the ranks. Last year Reid one the National Men’s Singles champion and at 15 became the youngest athlete to claim this honor. That same year Reid also won the International Wheelchair Tennis Junior Masters.

Currently Reid is ranked at 36th in the world’s single ranking and is set to be the youngest member to ever represent Great Britain in the Paralympics.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games concluded last week. More than 500 athletes participated in the event this year, which was held in Omaha Nebraska. This marks the end of the 28^th event.

These great athletes joined together to compete and while there was a strong sense of competition, there was also a strong sense of brotherhood amongst the many athletes. Among the many different events that were held this year were wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair softball, quad rugby, power soccer, and many other fun events.

Many of the people competing had never competed at a wheelchair sporting event before and the games go a long way towards helping their physical health as well as their mental health.

One veteran, who was wounded while fighting in Afghanistan, found that he was able to enjoy many of the same things he enjoyed before he was wounded. The veteran, Tyler Wilson, was amazed at how close everyone who competes is. Those who have been to the games before are quick to help the new comers and create an excellent environment.

Tyler, who competed in bowling, air guns, archery, trapshooting, and nine-ball events, left the competition with one gold medal, a silver metal, and two bronze medals. He is very excited about next years games and sees this as a very positive type of rehabilitation.

There were no losers at this years Games and all of the athletes that competed should be commended for their bravery both on the field and off.