Paralyzed Man Wows Using His Wheelchair As a 'Skateboard'

Five years ago, at the age of 18, Jonathan Stark was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Previously, the native of the Penn Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, was a skilled skateboarder and BMX bike rider. Instead of letting his accident stop him, Jonathan simply changed his focus and turned his wheelchair into a skateboard, to continue to pursue his love of the sport.

Now 23 years old, Jonathan has completed high school and is a competitive athlete in the new and emerging extreme sport of wheelchair moto-x (WCMX) or chairskating. You may recall our story on wheelchair wild man Aaron Fotheringham, whose extreme escapades were likely the genesis of chairskating.

Learning the new skills was not an easy task; Stark suffered many additional injuries along the way as he pursued this new challenge. Although he treats his chair just like he would any BMX bike, wearing a helmet, elbow pads, and other necessary safety gear, the sport is still dangerous and learning the ropes took its toll. "I broke a few ribs," he says. "I also broke both of my feet. I had about 10 concussions."

Even now that he's learned the movements and competes in the sport at a higher level, he still suffers accidents, but he's now handling his falls with fewer injuries. "It's just learning the motion," he said. "You're not thinking of it as a wheelchair, but as a toy. Part of being a professional is not about being good, but about being good falling. If you can't fall right, you get hurt." He goes on to say that the trick is to "learn how to catch yourself, so you don't hurt your hands."

The man has guts. Just recently, he learned how to do a back flip in his wheelchair. Of the experience, he said, "It was just, like, the opportunity to do this. This is my dream, what I've worked for the last three years. The amount of fear I had before the first time I tried it—I almost threw up. It was definitely the hardest experience I've had. It was scarier than the day I wrecked my car. It's helping me be the person I want to be."

Not only does he have the drive and determination to learn a brand-new extreme sport while living with a disability, Stark is also a self-taught welder and machinist, and is currently learning how to build custom wheelchairs specifically designed for the WCMX sport. He uses his machining skills to help friends and fellow competitors keep their wheelchairs operational, as well as designing new and improved chairs and components. He currently lives with his grandparents but is looking for a place of his own.

Stark is excited about his accomplishments and, like many others who have exceeded their limitations, hopes that his story will serve as an inspiration to others living with disabilities. "Life goes on," he says. "You can still do whatever you put your mind on—it's up to you to make things happen with things you want to do with life."

Watch the video all the way to the end to learn all about Jonathan's journey and to read his message to you!

Source: post-gazette.com/news/health/2013/10/28/Roll-on/stories/201310280017 Image Sources: media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com post-gazette.com pittsburgh.reelabilities.org extremechairing.com pinterest.com facebook.com