Running
Meet three Canadian quadriplegics running in the Wings For Life World Run
Mike Shaw, Jim Mullan, and Andrew Cho come from separate walks of life but are united in spinal cord injury. Get to know each as they prepare for Wings for Life World Run on May 8, 2022.
Mike, Jim, and Andrew are all running for #TeamCoast2Coast among others to reach their collective goal of 5,500 km (Halifax to Vancouver) for spinal cord injury research. You can support the team by donating or registering for the run as a part of Team Coast2Coast.
MIKE SHAW
Those who've seen The Healing Agent, a documentary on Shaw's recovery from a skiing accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, know his ability to inspire. Though his recovery is ongoing, Shaw reaches out to others dealing with spinal cord injuries to offer advice, guidance and a listening ear. We checked in with Shaw in the lead up to his third Wings for Life World Run.
On helping others
One thing I’ve tried to do after my accident is help others who are going through spinal cord injury. I know how fortunate I am. I’m lucky. People don’t heal from these injuries. Being that I’ve been fortunate enough to gravitate to gratitude and have had some time to reflect on what worked for me, I was like, “Man, I’ve got to share this with people.” One way of doing that was the TED Talk and one way was just talking to people.
On a new purpose
My new mission in life is to prevent injuries like mine from happening to someone else. I'm all behind Wings for Life in figuring out what do after an injury, but my newfound purpose, if you will, is to help people prevent injuries from happening in the first place. That’s what I do with SafeStart Athletics.
On Wings for Life World Run
I’m running for the #TeamCoast2Coast as a part of a fundraising effort for spinal cord injury research. Anyone who’s part of it and anyone who’s going to be part of it is seriously routing a cure. Spinal cord injuries are so devastating – not only to the individual but to the families. They’re so detrimental to people’s lives and lifestyles that it would be incredible if they could be cured. And I think that with Wings for Life, if anybody can do it, they’re going to fund a program that will figure it out. It’s doable. The advancements that are happening already with stem cell research, prosthetics and epidural implants and stimulants and stuff like that – people are already starting to figure it out.
1 min
The Healing Agent promo clip
Watch the moving trailer for Mike Shaw: The Healing documentary by RedBull TV.
JIM MULLAN
Mullan was injured in a pool accident while on tour with Classified in September of 2016. Like Shaw, his accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Through intensive rehab, he has returned to music and continues push in his recovery.
On the accident
One of the most overwhelming things was that I woke up in a hospital with my arms strapped to a bed, tubes going down my mouth, fully supported by a ventilator and had total amnesia. I didn’t remember anything. The last thing that I remember was being with the band on the highway in a van, so I thought we were in a car accident. I kept asking for the other guys. It was one of those worst nightmare things. The trauma from all of that was really overwhelming, and to be honest, it’s something that I think I’m just unpacking now because I was so focused on motor recovery.
Jim Mullan with his first instrument, the bass
© Jim Mullan
On meeting Mike Shaw
To go through what I’ve gone through feels like the most lonely thing in the world, but then you find somebody who’s done it. I cannot express how powerful that is.
On playing piano for the first time post-accident
I had been experiencing a lot of frustration in not being able to do basic tasks in life. Personal care, brushing your teeth, you name it. But I was able to sit down at a piano and I could get some cords out. It just made me feel like I could have purpose and value still in my life. It gave me hope. Actually, I have a video one of the first things that I played. It's a song called It's Hard to Understand that I co-wrote with Classified. I sent it in a text message because I wanted them to know that I was working on getting back up on stage. It was huge for me – just the feel of the ivory under the fingers. It was familiar. It was nice to have that kind of sensation because you're lacking a lot of it.
On feeling in control of the injury
I was on a ventilator, but I could move my hand enough to point at letters on a board and I remember asking, “Am I going to be normal?” The look on the doctor’s face was enough for me to just wave my hand and say I don’t need you to answer because you can’t tell me. The most frustrating thing about the whole journey was not knowing. And then you get to the point where you can say, “Now I feel like I know. I feel like I can do this.” I’m there now. And this Wings for Life World Run has helped empower me. I’ve always had exercises that I’ve done at home, but I’m doing more. I’m going way above and beyond now and it feels good. I’ve still got to take my breaks and I’ve still got to respect the injury and the healing, but it’s just really helped empower me through my recovery.
On empathy
There’s so many things that you see throughout this journey: people struggling with health… people who’ve got it worse than you. You think you’ve got it bad? There’s always someone who has it worse than you. There’s always someone struggling through something that you don’t know, that you can’t see. I think when we remember that, we treat each other better and everybody is a little more open.
On running in Wings for Life World Run
I’m running as a part of #TeamCoast2Coast, which is mostly running for those who can’t. I made so many friends along this journey and unfortunately not all of them have been as lucky as I have. That’s a very difficult thing to deal with sometimes. Everybody is working so hard and sometimes you can only get so far for whatever reason. It’s definitely not for lack of trying, I know that firsthand. That’s what it’s about for me.
ANDREW CHO
Cho, a former professional mountain biker, sustained a spinal cord injury that wasn't the result of a traumatic event, unlike the injuries that Shaw and Mullan are recovering from. Despite being paralyzed from the neck down in the early days of January 2017, Cho joined Shaw and #TeamCoast2Coast at the Wings For Life World Run 2021.
On the injury
They call it a spontaneous epidural hematoma, and basically just out of nowhere, with no reason, a blood vessel burst by my spinal cord. Although it’s hard not to have closure sometimes, I think in this case it’s a lot better that we don’t have closure because if it ends up being a bleeding disorder, that could effect me for the rest of my life. The doctor says in this case that it’s most likely that we’ll never have an answer as to why this happened, but it’s just a one-off event.
On beginnings
We started where I would cry, my tears would fill up my eyes and I couldn’t even clear my eyes of my own tears, so even the ability to move my head at first seemed like freedom. Or the first time I could scratch my face, that was greatest freedom. And that took almost two weeks for me to be able to scratch my own face. Everything I gain back is checking off boxes on things that I used to be able to do. To regain that and independence and the freedom to be able to do those activities is very liberating.
Andrew standing on a stability ball with bent knees and holding a ball
© Travis Persaud
On identity through biking
To not be able to ride again…that thought is always scary. To think that, “Man, the last bike ride that I remember was my last bike ride.” That sucks, but I didn’t necessarily 100% identify myself with my riding abilities. Previously, as a professional athlete, you would identify yourself with what you were capable of. Now, the enjoyment that I get is out of helping inspire others new and old get into the sport – not to say I don't love riding, but now it's not just my skills on a bike that I find identity through. I've found a lot of comfort knowing that I can still participate in this industry and give back to the sport still as a person working in marketing.
On Wings for Life World Run
I’m running for all the amazing people that I got to meet and get close with through this experience, especially for those that can’t be there running. There’s no doubt that I’m not ready for this run. Mike [Shaw] and I were chatting the other day, and I think this will be a good benchmark. One thing that I’ve learned to do very well is to quantitatively measure progress. This will be a great quantitative measure of where I’m at right now, and then I can measure myself next year and the year after. That’s so important, especially from a mental standpoint. To know that you’re moving forward is the biggest saving grace when you’re in a situation like this.
The Wings for Life World Run takes place on May 8, 2022. All funds raised go directly to finding a cure for spinal cord research. Donate and register at WingsForLifeWorldRun.com.