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