| He's too busy being a single father to two sons, | | | | days of tryouts, he made the team as a |
| working as general manager of sales and marketing | | | | goaltender.But other challenges lay ahead. When |
| for an adaptive mobility company, speaking at schools, | | | | Brandon discovered that his boys were being ridiculed |
| and playing goaltender for the U.S. sled hockey national | | | | at school because of his wheelchair, he realized how |
| team.Brandon's life changed on September 10, 2002. | | | | important it was to show others that disabled people |
| He was on a ladder trimming a tree when he fell 15 | | | | could lead productive lives. He began speaking at |
| feet to the driveway, landing flat on his back. The fall | | | | grade schools, demonstrating how he uses his |
| caused burst fractures in several vertebrae, resulting in | | | | wheelchair to go up and down stairs, play sports, and |
| paraplegia. In the months of recovery and rehabilitation | | | | do many of the things everyone else does, with some |
| that followed, Brandon realized giving up wasn't an | | | | modifications. He shows kids his Ford pickup equipped |
| option; his two boys, 11-year-old Scott and six-year-old | | | | with a special seat, wheelchair lift, and remote control |
| Trevor, depended on him."If I couldn't find the strength | | | | power topper.Brandon is amazed at how much of a |
| within myself to recover, I knew I must do it for them," | | | | difference these brief encounters can make in |
| Brandon recalls. "They needed their father back to as | | | | changing the way kids think about people in |
| close to normal as possible, and quick."Following the | | | | wheelchairs. "Their first reaction is that they are a little |
| accident, Brandon, a native of St. Louis, was sent to | | | | unsure, only because they just don't know we are |
| DePaul Hospital, where neurosurgeon Dr. Danial | | | | typically normal people who have suffered injuries," he |
| Scodary implanted titanium rods in his spine. He was | | | | explains. "They have no idea we were just like their |
| then transferred to St. Johns Mercy for more surgery | | | | moms and dads before. But after an hour of questions |
| and rehabilitation. After a month of rehab, Brandon | | | | and answers, and discussing all of the great things we |
| underwent five more months of out-patient therapy | | | | can still do, they offer to push me, open doors, carry |
| three times a week. He has developed a close | | | | my things to the truck, anything to be involved."Kids |
| relationship with his doctors, particularly Scodary."I owe | | | | aren't the only ones affected by Brandon's courage |
| a lot to him," Brandon says. "He has been a godsend | | | | and positive outlook. His friends and family have been |
| to myself and my family."Less than a month after his | | | | with him every step of the way the past two years, |
| injury, Brandon, who had played roller blade hockey for | | | | and are proud of what he has overcome. His mother, |
| years, was introduced to sled hockey by his physical | | | | Carol Halloran Ferguson, isn't at all surprised at her |
| therapist, Kathy Griffith. Invented at a rehabilitation | | | | son's resolve."It never occured to him to set limits. He |
| center in Sweden in the 1960's, sled hockey became a | | | | never has," she says. "Scott still has that twinkle in his |
| Paralympic sport in the 1994 Winter Games in | | | | eye and the good nature and easy grin. "He is still a |
| Lillehammer. Players sit in specially designed sleds | | | | loving father, son, brother and friend, facing the same |
| placed on top of two hockey skate blades, and the | | | | daily struggles and joys as every other |
| puck must be passed underneath the sled.After | | | | person."Brandon hopes to lead his sled hockey team |
| watching the U.S. Paralympic team play a game, | | | | to a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, |
| Brandon met several of the players, and was deeply | | | | Italy, and to find that special someone to share his |
| moved by the experience."It was there that I created a | | | | struggles and triumphs with. His biggest goal, though, is |
| new cast of heroes," he says. "Here was a bunch of | | | | to be the kind of dad his sons can look up to and be |
| guys that have all overcome horrible injuries of their | | | | proud of. With all he has overcome to this point, there |
| own, and went on to play for their country and win a | | | | is no doubt he has already gone a long way to |
| gold medal in Salt Lake City at the 2002 | | | | accomplish that.To read more fascinating articles about |
| Paralympics."Once he was cleared by his doctors, | | | | adaptive sports for people with disabilities, subscribe to |
| Brandon played one season for a team called the RIC | | | | Adaptive Sports & Recreation, the free ezine |
| Blackhawks before being invited to the U.S. Team | | | | published every other Wednesday. |
| tryouts this past August in Colorado Springs. After five | | | | |