2022 Cycle 3 New Athlete (West) | High Fives Foundation

Introducing: High Fives Cycle 3 2022 Empowerment Grant recipients

High Fives is very proud to introduce everyone to these new Athletes that we will be supporting through their recovery and onto whatever goals and adventures they can dream of.

Recovery and progression of one’s mind and body is a never-ending pursuit. These Athletes realize that setting goals and improving themselves is incredibly important. After one goal or adventure is complete, they know that that goal is possible and find ways to become better with the experience and skill created.

High Fives believes that these 19 new Athletes embody our values and will represent High Fives in amazing ways, and we cannot wait to see what they are able to accomplish.

Meet the Central | Grant Recipients HERE

Meet the East Coast | Grant Recipients HERE

Cycle 3 2022 Empowerment Grant Recipients

Ryan Porteous | SCI C6
Santa Barbara, CA

Ryan suffered a spinal cord injury diving off a boat dock was he was 18. He broke C6, which initially caused paralysis from the neck down. Ryan has regained function in his arms but still doesn’t have full intervention in all the major muscles of his arms.

Look for the good, accentuate the positive, and press on!

Adaptive Equipment-Bowhead Bike

Ryan Straschnitzki | SCI T1
Airdrie, AB, CAN

Ryan was involved in a Vehicle accident where he suffered broken ribs, punctured lungs, bleeding pelvis, cracked skull, broken clavicles, and spinal injury

When one door closes another one opens

$6,750- Adaptive Equipment

Patrick Mitchell | SCI C4
Kona, HI

Patrick was training for a triathlon on a bicycle when a car ran a stop sign , he had his head turned to the left looking for other traffic when he turned around and collided with the car. Patrick sustained a spinal cord injury to his C4 C5.

Live, Laugh, Love

$2,000-Adaptive Equipment

Grant Armstrong | SCI T6
Potter Valley, CA

While cutting firewood on 12/09/2020 Grant was hit by a falling tree. He had just dropped another tree when his wife yelled, and he looked up to see another tree crashing down.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop

$3,700-Adaptive Equipment

Michael Ricci | Life Changing
Sandy, UT

Michael was injured paragliding at the top of Y mountain in Provo, UT. He was performing a cliff launch when his wing overshot and the tip ended up tangled in the lines (cravatte), causing the wing to collapse. He wasn’t able to abort the launch and went over the edge without his wing producing life and ended up crashing in a pile of rocks.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

$4,500 – Adaptive Equipment

Sylvie Boulva | SCI L1
Park City, UT

Sylvie was injured in a car accident on 9/13/07 when driving to Telluride, CO, from Colorado Springs following the sudden passing of her grandmother. She was sleep deprived from emotional exhaustion and trying to make it to Telluride in time for work at the local outdoor gear shop. She fell asleep at the wheel and flipped her car outside Gunnison, CO, off the road and out of sight of traffic.

I am resilient I trust the movement I negate the chaos Uplift the negative I’ll show up at the table Again and again and again I’ll close my mouth and learn to listen

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Austin Price | SCI T4
Sparks, NV

Austin was riding his motorcycle home after having a great day with friends. Just 3 blocks from his house, he was coming around a sharp corner and was leaning over super far when his foot peg folded up and the peg frame mount caught a bump in the road which high-sided him off of the bike and sent him flying through the air where his body struck an oncoming vehicle.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice.

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Darkhan Bylkylov | SCI T7
San Francisco, CA

Darkhan was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident leaving him paralyzed. He had his friend drive his car, but she lost control of the vehicle, making it flip several times and damaging three trees,

What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

$3,300 – Adaptive Equipment

Todd Meadows | Life Changing
Fair Oaks, CA

Todd was recalled to Navy active duty in 2001 in Bremerton Naval Hospital. He was unloading gear from a 5-ton transport. The truck lunged forward, causing some of the gear to falll, striking his back. He fell forward, hitting his head on several boxes. He immediately lost control of all his limbs and felt “lightning” sensation surge throughout his body. He was taken to emergency and was miss diagnosed with a pinched nerve. He continued to have the “lightning feeling, later identified as Lhermitte’s sign, for months. he went to his civilian doctor, and had several tests, EMG and MRI studies. He was finally offered anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF) to slow the progression of his symptoms and or possible total paralysis

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”

$4,700 – Adaptive Equipment

Jason Malvar | Amputee Below Knee
Escondido, CA

Jason was involved in a motorcycle accident resulting in a left broken arm and left broken leg from a head on collision with a car. While in the hospital and after multiple surgeries, several doctors recommended amputation of his left leg below the knee.

I will not be defeated so easily

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Shay Eastham | SCI C6
San Diego, CA

Shay fell From a balcony in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He fractured his C6 C7 vertebrae, which pinched his spinal cord and gave him an incomplete spinal cord injury.

You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.

$1,400 – Adaptive Equipment

Eric Wang | SCI T12
Reno, NV

Eric was injured from a 50-foot fall during rock climbing. He broke an ankle, 5 ribs and his T12 vertebra.

The mountains are calling and I must go

$1,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Andrew Bogdanov | SCI C7
Prescott, AZ

In 2014 Andrew was snowboarding in Flagstaff, AZ and went off a jump going too fast that threw him back two stories in the air. He landed on his neck and broke C7, paralyzing him from the chest down. He had to learn how to live life in a wheelchair. His life was forever changed, but he didn’t want it to slow him down! “I knew I could still live a good life doing what I loved, It would just look different. “

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” — Booker T. Washington

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Ashley Courtney | Amputee Below Knee
Fernley, NV

Ashley was in a motorcycle accident, on her wedding day. On the way home from a fantastic jump into Lake Tahoe, She crashed on Mt. Rose.Her leg was taken by the guard rail, and she was airlifted to the hospital.

Anything is possible! No matter what happens in my life, I get to say how it goes for me.

$4,650 – Adaptive Equipment

Ashley Bunting | SCI C6

Deming, NM

Ashley was involved in a car crash.

Carpe diem!

$1,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Trevor Hirschfield | SCI C5
Parksville, BC, Canada

Trevor was injured in a motor vehicle accident at 16 years old. As a result of the accident he received damage to his C 5/6 vertebrae and he is now am a complete quadriplegic.

I can’t is not an option

$2,500 – Adaptive Equipment

Braeson Schacher | Double below knee amputee
Lethbridge, AB, Canada

Braeson was in a car crash that left him with significant burns to his legs to the extent of amputation.

Whatever life gives you, give it more.

$3,500 – Adaptive Equipment

Shane Farver | SCI L1
Bountiful, UT

During a climbing gym visit in November of 2018, Shane fell while lead climbing and unfortunately was not caught. He fell about 30 feet to the gym floor and landed feet first, which resulted in a L-1 burst fracture that impacted his spinal cord.

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast

$2,500 – Adaptive Equipment

Eric Lazar | SCI T5
Koloa, HI

On April 18, 2003 Eric had a dirtbike accident. He was Fifth gear pinned going as fast as the bike could go, wheelied over a little rock that turned out to be a boulder in the ground. Before he could let go, his legs scorpioned in front him, then he flipped head to toe six times and flew eighty feet.

I can’t is not an option

$2,500 – Adaptive Equipment

These new West Coast Athletes will be welcomed to the High Fives Ohana by previous Athletes and Cycle 2 2022 Grant recipients

Christopher Barkley | SCI
Spokane Valley, WA

WIN THE DAY!

$850 – Adaptive Equipment

Savoy Brown | Amputation
San Antonio, TX

IF YOU CAN’T FIGURE OUT YOUR PURPOSE, FIGURE OUT YOUR PASSION. FOR YOUR PASSION WILL LEAD YOU RIGHT INTO YOUR PURPOSE.

$$3,500 – Adaptive Equipment

Andrew Peters | SCI
Thunder Bay, ON, CAN

WAY SHE GOES, SOMETIMES SHE GOES, SOMETIMES SHE DOESN’T

$1,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Ethan Krueger | SCI
Surrey, BC

FAKE IT ‘TILL YOU MAKE IT.

$2,400 – Adaptive Equipment

Sonya Brekke | TBI
Scottsdale, AZ

IT’S NOT HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL DOWN, BUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET BACK UP THAT COUNT!

$3,200 – Adaptive Equipment

Alex uppenkamp | SCI
San Diego, CA

I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HIGH FIVES DOES AND CAN’T WAIT TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND MAKE MORE MEMORIES.

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Ben Rodes | SCI
Salt Lake City, UT

NOTHING TRULY GREAT IS ACHIEVED WITH MARGINAL EFFORT.

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Evan Strong | Amputation
Nevada City, CA

MIND OVER MATTER, SOUL OVERALL

Specialized E-Bike

Casey Proud | SCI
Oceanside, CA

FOR SMALL CREATURES SUCH AS WE THE VASTNESS IS BEARABLE ONLY THROUGH LOVE

$2,900 – Adaptive Equipment

Jordan Anderson | SCI
Redding, CA

KEEPING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND RECOVERY.

$5,000 – Adaptive Equipment

Meghan Harris | Life Changing
Edmonton, AB, CAN

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

$1,150 – Adaptive Equipment

Tommy Michaels | SCI
Phoenix, AZ

PEOPLE ARE BORN LIKE A PERFECT PIECE OF SARAN WRAP. LIFE BUMPS WILL GIVE YOU WRINKLES ALONG THE WAY, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO ABOUT EVERY DAY TRYING TO EVEN YOURSELF BACK OUT.

$590 – Adaptive Equipment