Allison Nicola For Allison Nicola 16 years ago, life was very different. She lived life on the edge, taking to the slopes at any opportunity. She was age 15 when the accident happened; going too fast over a 40-foot jump in a snowboarding competition, she shattered her ninth and tenth thoracic vertebrae. Now, paralyzed from…
Steve Holbert Retired Corporal Steve Holbert, US Marines, joined the Marines right out of high school at age 17. He spent four years serving his country as an avionics technician. He then left the marines and continued the same occupation as a civilian. All the while pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot. Eventually working his…
Louise Estabrook Louise Estabrook first snorkeled on her honeymoon and fell in love with the water. Later, she did try scuba and knew someday she would see the world below. Now, she is now dealing with a progressive neurological disease. It is an inherited condition that started affecting her motor control when she turned 50. Retiring…
Brian “Pat” Kipf It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the passing of 2018 recipient Brian “Pat” Kipf. We met him in 2017 when he applied to the foundation. Pat and his wife Shelia were selling their business and planning to move to Florida so Pat could be near his beloved…
Brendan Downes Brendan Downes has always been active. Early on, he learned his Spina Bifida did not define him nor his desire to be active. When he started using a wheelchair in 4th grade, he joined wheelchair basketball. He went on to play for University of Arizona. He tried scuba at camp and realized it was…
Danny Fik Danny Fik was born with spina bifida with tethered cord syndrome. He had to undergo multiple surgeries to free his spinal column to allow growth. The last surgery was not successful, and he began to use a wheelchair for mobility fulltime at age 13. Little did the world know, he would use that…
Retired Major Waheed “Wu” Khan, USMC Retired Major Waheed was born in England and served in the US Marine Corps for 24 years with multiple commands and deployments, including the first Gulf War, Somalia, Kosovo, Colombia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His American counterparts took his initials W.U. Khan from the back of his uniform and created…
Retired Specialist (US Army) Jeff Ward A week after high school, Jeff Ward signed up for the Army. Overall, he spent two years with the Army and another six with the National Guard. Although the military offered many career paths, Jeff chose to follow his culinary passion. After serving in the Army mess hall, he…
Bob and Eulene Wagner were high school sweethearts, following each other to the University of Northern Colorado and through their 30-year teaching careers; Eulene taught elementary and Bob was a high school band director. Now enjoying retirement, they share something else, both have multiple sclerosis (MS). Eulene, diagnosed in 1996, continues to work through pain and…
Kevin Smith Kevin Smith heard about the Dive Pirates during his rehab at TIRR. After a motorcycle accident caused a complete spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia. With a background in diving before his accident. Kevin signed up for a Try-Dive event with the Dive Pirates at Seanic Ocean Systems; an engineering company in Katy, Texas with a…