Rick Hansen

Rick Hansen, O.C., O.B.C., (born August 26, 1957, Port Alberni, British Columbia) is a Canadian paraplegic athlete and humanitarian most famous for his Man in Motion tour, in which he circumnavigated the globe in a wheelchair to raise public awareness of spinal cord research.

Biography

Born in Port Alberni, Hansen grew up in Williams Lake, BC. He was a young athlete who had won all-star awards in five sports when he was paralyzed at the age of 15, after he was thrown from the back of a truck. Although initially deeply despondent, he soon learned to conquer his disability. He worked on rehabilitation, completed high school, then became the first student with a physical disability to graduate in Physical Education from the University of British Columbia. He went on to become a world class champion wheelchair marathoner and 1984 Olympic athlete. Hansen won 19 international wheelchair marathons, including three world championships.

Related Topics:
Williams Lake - Physical Education - University of British Columbia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was inspired to attempt his greatest feat by his friend, Terry Fox, who attempted an 8000 km cross-Canada marathon with an artificial leg in the name of raising funds for cancer research.

Related Topics:
Terry Fox - Marathon - Cancer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He is married to Amanda, his Wheels in Motion trainer. They have three daughters and live in Richmond, BC.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~