It all started on march 30th 2016….
Jim was vacationing in Hawaii with his wife and they were cooling off in the ocean. After a while they decided to get out of the water and dry off on the sand. As they backed out of the ocean watching the waves come in they saw a large wave headed towards them. They both dove under the incoming wave and Jim was caught by the wave, twisted around, and driven into the ocean bottom. He was conscious, and remembers the impact and thinking that he would have a bruise in the morning. He tried to swim to the surface only to find himself paralyzed and drowning. Isabelle found him face down in the water, and screamed for help. Thanks to the quick action of many bystanders and phenomenal life guards, Jim was revived on the beach. Ever since that day Jim has been learning how to live as a quadriplegic and keep rolling through life. You can read about that fateful day on the beach from Isabelle’s perspective here, and you can learn about the day Jim got to thank the lifeguards that saved his life that day on our YouTube channel and our podcast.
Sharing his story
Following the accident Jim spent over a year in the medical system learning how to survive and adjust to his new life. He had lost use of many of his abdominal muscles and had to re-learn how to breath, cough, and swallow. Then came learning how to adjust to life as a quadriplegic - learning about medications he would have to take, how to live and operate in a wheelchair, and navigate the world around him. Throughout this entire time Jim shared his story on his Facebook page, and eventually his YouTube channel, podcast, and this website. He began sharing his story in public presentations and inspiring others to overcome adversity and “keep working the problem”. He was recognized in 2018 with Coast Mental Health’s Courage to Come Back award for his decision and dedication to recover and live a fulfilling life while sharing his experiences with others. Jim has continued to “keep moving forward” and push the limits of what is accessible. Since his accident, he has gone paddleboarding and paragliding as a quadriplegic, and has traveled the world refusing to be limited by his disability.
giving back and making a difference
Jim now works as an Ambassador the the Rick Hansen foundation and educates the public on accessibility issues and overcoming adversity. He gives frequent presentations to students at schools and universities addressing his experiences in the health care system, as well as accessibility challenges in the world. He also presents to community groups such as the Rotary Club of Canada and various living societies about the challenges of community living as a quadriplegic. He is also a qualified Accessibility Specialist and works to assess buildings of all types for accessibility and offer solutions for retrofit as well as initial building design. He focuses on maximizing accessibility for the lowest economic cost in an effort to illustrate that accessibility does not have to be expensive. His goal is to make the world accessible to all and increase awareness of the daily challenges faced by those with disabilities of all types.
