Tommy Michaels

Tommy Michaels

United States of America
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Surf

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Phonenix,AZ

In August 2017, Tommy went over the handlebars while biking on a dirt trail. The trail took a turn around a tree into a blind stepdown, which then led to an unexpected narrow bridge crossing a river. The bike steered away from the bridge into the river, sending Tommy head-first into the up-sloped river bank on the other side. Once extracted, the initial trauma classified Tommy as an ASIA B incomplete paraplegia at the C4 level. His C5-C7 were fused together and C6 had to be replaced. He is now classified as an ASIA D C5 walking quad. Sensation lacks on Tommy’s right side with nearly full mobility, while his left side has severe motor inhibition, though sensation is present.

“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.”

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High Fives has provided:

Climbing Gym Membership, Adaptive Ski Pass at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Adaptive Waveski from Macski Surf Gear

Tommy Michaels

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