Are You Letting The Hand You’re Dealt Hold You Back?

I want to share an inspirational story about a friend of mine, Brent Simonds. Brent suffered a spinal cord injury about 10 years ago and now has quadriplegia. He was very active in sports before his injury, which was freak accident in college.

Brent during Pelotonia

He rode 25 miles this past summer in Pelotonia, which is a charity bike event that raises money for cancer research. Amazing stuff.

He has earned his Masters, lived in Manhattan, is married, and has now begun this journey of helping others with similar disabilities. Recently, Brent created his own non-profit, after being inspired from his ride this summer. He’s calling it Cycling for All, as it’s goal is to get more disabled individuals to ride more often and participate in events.

Brent encountered an extremely challenging obstacle in life about 10 years ago. He had a choice. Let the hand he was dealt beat him down and run his life. Or, step up, take that hand and make a difference. This is a lesson we all can learn from.

Brent Simonds is a true inspiration.