Fifty years ago when he was just 15, Rick Hansen and his friend Don Alder were hitching a ride home from a fishing trip in Bella Coola to get back to Williams Lake in time for the Stampede.
Instead, Hansen faced the challenge of recovering from, and living with, a spinal cord injury.
In his time since then, Hansen has inspired millions to help make the world a better, more inclusive place for all.
Known also as the ‘man in motion,’ Hansen is best known for completing a 26-month, 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair trip around the world from March 21, 1985 to May 22, 1987. His goal was to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and to also find a cure for paralysis.
With Hansen at the helm, the Rick Hansen Foundation continues that work today.
Those who met, or spent time with Hansen in Williams Lake recently where he served as the parade marshal for the Williams Lake Stampede, described his as an imspiration.
Here is a look at why one would feel that way.
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