About Kevin

At the age of 28 Kevin has been through more than most people will ever experience.

It all began in 2002 when he was out hunting with his father, Gerarld. While Kevin was helping him build a tree stand, Gerald fell from the tree he was building the stand in. Crashing down two stories to the ground, Gerald fractured his back, and only one year from retirement he was left a complete paraplegic. This was the first turn of events.

Kevin’s passion was riding his dirtbike and despite his father’s urges to give it up, he continued to pursue his dream of turning pro and jumping in front of an audience. On July 1st of 2006 he achieved that dream. Two weeks later it ended.

At his next show during practice he hit a jump that went wrong and had to jump off the bike mid air. Falling from a height of nearly 30 feet and a distance of 80 feet, he came crashing down to the ground without the bike.

From the crash, Kevin was now a paraplegic now too.

Despite being told by the doctors that he too would never walk again, Kevin wasn’t willing to take that answer. After months of intense therapy Kevin got back out of the wheelchair and back on his bike. In just one year, he kicked it over and went riding again. Things were looking up again.

Around the same time Kevin’s mother Shirley, left Gerald. Gerald had developed a bad gambling problem, and his negative attitude about life after injury hovered around him all the time. So with Kevin and his sister Rebecca supporting her, she moved out.

Then Dad committed suicide.

At this point Kevin felt his life was just too surreal to be happening and didn’t know what to do. He returned to school and later took a vacation to Australia and New Zealand visiting his sister. When he returned home, that’s when the excitement came back into life.

He discovered sledge hockey and knew right away it was something he wanted to pursue. Season one was spent playing house league. Season two he made the provincial team, Sledge Team Ontario. Now after the end of his third season representing the nation on Sledge Team Canada, he has a gold medal from the World Sledge Hockey Challenge to add to the story.

Ultimately, it’s the gold medal from the next Paralympics in Sochi, Russia that Kevin is going after.

Kevins story will lift you up and inspire you. His sheer will and determination is a testament that behind all those dark clouds lies a rainbow, and if you can weather the storm brighter days are still ahead.

Follow along and be inspired!