Reimagining Family Traditions

When Ben Edwards was nine years old, he began hunting with his father and grandfather.

“Growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I started hunting small game, such as squirrels, rabbits and grouse,” he says. “And then I moved onto deer, shooting my first deer at the age of 11.”

He adds, “Each year, my entire family heads to our deer camp. I used to look forward to it all year, but being in a wheelchair has made that impossible – until I received an Action Trackchair.”

Staying Connected

In August 2022, 16-year-old Ben attended a family reunion in rural Minnesota with his grandparents. While at the gathering, he fell off a stand-up swing, breaking his C5 and C6 vertebrae.

He was flown to a hospital in Minneapolis, where he stayed for several weeks before transferring to Craig Hospital for his SCI neurorehabilitation.

“Ben had such a great experience at Craig,” recalls Anna Edwards, Ben’s mother. “When he first arrived, he couldn’t sit up, and he had a trach and a vent. He received phenomenal care and support at Craig, with the entire staff anticipating his every need. Not only was each day packed with therapies, but the School Program helped Ben stay connected with his learning.”

She adds, “Laura Magnuson [Craig School Program teacher], communicated regularly with Ben’s school to ensure he met all of his sophomore year requirements and minimized any learning disruptions. We were so thankful for everything Craig did for Ben.”

Back to Michigan

Once Ben returned home to Marquette, Michigan, he went back to school on a hybrid schedule with a shortened school day. “Going back to school was challenging, especially navigating the bus,” Ben says. “But I figured it out after a while.”

For Ben, the most difficult part of his injury was not being able to return to the outdoorsy adventures he loved, such as exploring nature, camping, hunting, hiking and biking.

“But once I tested out the Action Trackchair [an all-terrain wheelchair that easily moves on hills, rocks, gravel, grass and snow], I got very excited,” he says. “I took it for a test run on pavement, small inclines and declines, and on dirt and grass – and it totally worked!”

While the cost of the chair was prohibitive, the Craig Foundation’s donor-supported Adaptive Equipment Scholarship helped the Edwards family afford the chair, which he received this past spring.

Now, Ben not only has access to dirt and sandy trails, but grassy fields and muddy terrain. “I feel so thankful for the funding I received because the chair has allowed me to be completely independent outside,” he explains.

David Edwards, Ben’s grandfather, adds, “Being able to return to the woods with a track wheelchair means so much to Ben’s confidence, sense of independence, and outlook on life. His physical world has been irrevocably altered, but not his spirit. This chair is a means to helping him move forward to embrace the endless possibilities he has yet to explore.”

To learn more about supporting Craig Hospital, please visit craighospital.org/donate.