June 2017

My name is Arturo Valdez and I am from Mexico City. Almost 23 years ago I had a motorcycle accident which caused a spinal cord injury at the T7 level. I have Luque wires in my back from T2 to T12. At the beginning of this journey, my life was like people told me it would have to be, as the medical books say: dealing with pressure ulcers while seated in a large, heavy hospital wheelchair. One day I decided I could, and must, do things differently.

When I was 12 years old, my dad and younger brother were in a car accident. My brother was killed and my dad was paralyzed. The only reason I survived that is because people around us showed us that my dad had a future as a quadriplegic. He now lives completely independently, drives himself to work every day, and even danced with me at my wedding.

I have lived in three different cities in Canada, and now I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Let me tell you about my experiences!

When you combine wheelchairs and travel, the first thing that comes to mind might be the possibility of hassle, inconvenience, or perhaps worse. Those same possibilities exist in the minds of all travelers however, and the inherent risk of negative likelihoods is present in everything we do — even activities WAY less fun than traveling. At a certain point, it is necessary to ignore the 'what-ifs' in life and embrace the freedom to allow experiences to manifest themselves into memories you'll remember even after you visit all your dream destinations.