Wheelchairs for Warriors

by Melissa Reurink on March 1st, 2010
Reported by: Byran Garner

VERO BEACH, FL — Marc Reed is a former U.S. Marine.

Dr. Juli Goldstein is a marine mammal veterinarian at Harbor Branch. She is also the reigning Ms. Florida.

The two met during a team relay race across the state – running more than 200 miles.



We were living in a van those 34 hours and just had a great time, said Reed.



We started talking about our passions in life and how we like to help other people, said Goldstein.



Now the running partners are working towards a new challenge and a way to help those who cannot enjoy the sport they love.



Our focus is on veterans who have an injury to themselves that they cannot compete under their own power in a marathon or half marathon, said Reed.

Reed started a group called Wheelchairs for Warriors.




Last year he singlehandedly pushed disabled Navy veteran Michael Kuhn 26.2 miles to the finish line of Tampas Gasparilla Marathon.



Michael was a real joy to be with…he was high fiving people the entire way. People were clapping for him and he had a wonderful time, said Reed.



This year he’s reaching out to another wounded vet named Patrick Webster.



Patrick is a US Marine Corps veteran who was injured stateside in a training exercise in Camp LeJeune, he said.



Most marathons have wheelchair divisions, but because of his limited motor skills Patrick could never compete on his own without a specially designed wheelchair and a healthy set of legs to push him.



Now he’s fortunate to have two healthy sets of legs. Dr. Goldstein will team up with Marc to share the work and power Patrick’s chair in this years Gasparilla Marathon.



I hope he gets the experience to see he has the support of the entire country around him and that we appreciate what people like Patrick do, said Goldstein.



The two hope to draw attention, interest and sponsorship to their cause so that they might have multiple vets and volunteers competing in future races.



Source: http://www.wptv.com/content/news/indianriver/verobeach/story/vero-beach-ms-florida-juli-goldstein-wheelchairs/0awiOiGCLk6I15qcovWO0g.cspx



Tagged as: Disabled · Handicap Accessible · Mobility · mobility aids · mobility for the disabled · wheelcahir sports · wheelchairs