I have an unpopular question among the Disability Community. Where’s all the snow?! I live in Scranton, PA, (yes, home of “The Office”) and one thing about living there is that our summers are usually pretty hot, and our winters are typically gray, snowy and cold. I don’t love the cold. Having acquired a spinal cord injury when I was 17 years old, I’ve had to deal with the standard of getting too cold too quickly, and then not being able to warm myself back up. I like to think that I look at the glass half full, and if I’m going to have a cold, gray winter, I want it snowy as well! Perhaps being a Quantum wheelchair user and hoping for a snowy winter isn’t exactly looking at the glass half full, but snow is in my blood!
Why I Love Snow
I began skiing when I was three years old and would spend every week on the slopes, building snow forts in my backyard. I broke my neck doing what I love: snowboarding. My love for the snow never dissipated. As a wheelchair user, you might think snow limits what I can do and prevents me from going places. While that is sometimes the case, my Quantum wheelchair allows me to go further, do more, and explore more places, even in the snow!
A Smooth Ride in My Quantum Wheelchair
When I first was told about the 4Front® and then later, the 4Front® 2 power chair, I knew immediately that this was the chair for me. I needed it! It’s the ideal wheelchair for outdoor life. If you look at the 4Front 2, you’ll see big drive wheels in the front, smaller caster wheels in the back, and an amazing set of shocks! These features are very cool to look at and extremely functional. Whether there is a layer or two of snow on the ground, gravel or dirt trails, I have no fear at all riding in my Quantum wheelchair.
On my 4Front 2 power wheelchair, I have STC (Smart Traction Control) and SRS (Smooth Ride Suspension). It truly lives up to that name. I have used many wheelchairs since my injury, and I have never experienced more of a smooth ride than in this chair! I don’t have to worry about having a random spasm traversing over terrain or simply that my chair won’t be able to handle where I want to go! In older chairs, I would be afraid to go into the grass because of imperfections in the dirt, but not with this chair! It goes no problem!
The Beauty of Snow
When the snow falls, there’s nothing more I like to do then get all bundled up and take a stroll in my chair. Everything is quiet, everything is beautiful, and I can have fun with my Quantum wheelchair! I hope we get some snow before winter is over so that I can enjoy it firsthand while in my 4Front 2!
About Christian Budney: Born and raised in Scranton, PA, Christian is a social worker and works with individuals with autism. He loves cold weather sports, particularly adaptive skiing. Click here to learn more about Christian.
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