Adrenaline junkies are everywhere these days. On the slopes, on the water, at the skate park, and even among people with disabilities, adrenaline junkies are cropping up. And disabled folks, the usual stationary beings of the world, are more in need of a rush of an adrenaline rush than anyone. Just think about it. When was the last time you felt the thrill of adrenaline pumping through your veins? How long have you been sitting there, craving something more?
For Aaron Fotheringham, an 18 year old born with Spina Bifida from Las Vegas, he refused to take his fate sitting down. He turns the definition of a wheelchair is, and what it’s capable of, inside-out. Stunts, tricks, whatever you want to call it, Fotheringham does it; and he does it good. Adrenaline is permanently pumping through is veins thanks to being the most badass person in a wheelchair in existence. The world’s resident crazy wheelchair guy, that’s what I like to call him.
Armed with his hardcore manual wheelchair, he’s made a career out of the news-worthy wheelchair stunts he‘s been doing since he was 16, with wheelchair flips, tricks at skate parks, and even partaking in (and winning) BMX competitions. On August 29th, 2010 Fotheringham landed the world’s first double wheelchair backflip (after many painful tries). To watch this spectacle, check out the official video above.
And a must-see: Official site of Aaron “Wheels” Fotheringham
Craving your own adrenaline rush? Try one of these disability-friendly ideas.
- Tandem skydiving (strap yourself to someone who knows what they’re doing, and enjoy the fall)
- Racecar driving
- Rock crawling with quad Clay Egan
When I first saw this going around Twitter last week, I remember thinking, that’s old news…. then I saw that Aaron had not accomplished just the wheelchair back flip, but the DOUBLE wheelchair back flip. AMAZING.
That is just amazing! I thought the single back flip was incredible, but this is unthinkable.