The story of Ryan Chalmers is an inspirational one.
Born with spinal bifida, a disability caused from an incomplete closure of the spinal column, Chalmers has spent his entire life getting around with the assistance of crutches or a wheelchair.
Growing up just outside of Rochester, N.Y., the 24-year-old Paralympian spent much of his childhood in a hospital but it was there that he was introduced to wheelchair athletics, specifically track-and-field. He has tried a variety of sports over the years – everything from soccer, to basketball, to skiing – but it was track-and-field that Chalmers had a real passion for and he immediately fell in love with the sport.
During his years at the University of Illinois, basketball and track took up much of his time – when he wasn’t busy earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management. It was at that time that Chalmers became heavily involved with Stay Focused, a non-profit organization founded by Roger Mueller that offers teenagers with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy diving in the Cayman Islands.
It wasn’t too soon after college in 2011 that Chalmers had the idea to help the organization – one he has become very attached to – and he decided to combine his effort with his love for sports.
And so Push Across America was born.
Chalmers decided to set off on a nearly 3,500-mile road trip across the country – starting in Los Angeles and finishing in New York’s Central Park – on his wheelchair. Completing roughly 50 miles a day, the Paralympian crossed 14 states in the hopes of inspiring others with disabilities.
“I wanted to make a difference in the organization [Stay Focused] that’s changed both my life and the lives of many of the people I know,” Chalmers admitted. “But also along the way, to be able to raise awareness for persons with disabilities and show people that, you know, we’re athletes just like everyone else. This was the perfect opportunity to show people what wheelchair racing looks like.”
But at times it wasn’t easy for a man who has competed in several marathons throughout his career.
The most difficult stage was early on in his journey. He had to mentally prepare for what lay ahead, while his body went through adapting to spending as much as 10 hours a day pushing his chair.
“My feet were getting swollen some of the time, my hands were getting cut up with blisters – my knees [were in pain], my back [was in pain],” he said. “My body wasn’t used to being in that racing chair that long. Early on my body took a hit.”
For Chalmers, the most difficult part of his journey was Death Valley, a desert located near the Nevada-California border. That day began with a seven-mile incline to Death Valley and then finished with 13 miles across the desert, while the temperature topped out at about 95-degrees. Those kinds of conditions were something Chalmers wasn’t very accustomed to.
“I’m one of those athletes that really likes to train and push in cooler weather, because the heat really drains me,” he admitted. “That was definitely, by far, the hardest day we had during the push.”
After 71-days, Chalmers made it to New York City and finished a goal that was nearly two years in the making. The NYPD escorted him once he entered the city limits and followed him through the city, as crowds surrounded the finish line to watch the end to his remarkable journey.
“It was a very surreal moment for me,” Chalmers said. “It was just one of those moments like, wow this is coming to an end, like it’s very bittersweet that it’s over right now. I loved the journey we had.”
Chalmers isn’t quite sure what adventure is next but for now he plans on turning his attention to Stay Focused, as well as his preparation for the upcoming 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And having accomplished so much in his young career, Chalmers has advice for others with disabilities.
“Never give up,” he proclaimed. “Stay focused, find your passion, find your reason for setting high goals for yourself. Find something you might have never thought you could do. Just go out and achieve it.”
To learn more about Stay Focused and how you can help donate to the cause, check out the foundation’s website.
Ed is an MMA/Extreme Sports contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller, and subscribe at Facebook.com/CraveOnlineSports.
Photo (top): Getty – NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 15: Paralympian Ryan Chalmers completes 3,000 Mile Push Across America Benefitting Disabled Scuba Diving In the Cayman Islands on June 15, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Cayman Island Department of Tourism)
