My name is Travis Oldhouser, I’m 34 years old, and I’m a C5-C6 complete quadriplegic.  My accident was 6 years ago on November 28, 2000.  I was in a car accident on my way to work.  I was immediately air lifted from the accident scene to University Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore, Maryland.  I spent 10 days in their intensive care facility while they sustained me medically.  After the 10 days at this facility, I was transported via ambulance to Hershey Medical Center where I remained until February 21, 2001.  During my stay in H.M.C., I had my cervical and thoracic vertebrae fused from my C4-T2.  Then I proceeded to go through the physical and occupational therapies.

One year after my accident, I was fortunate to go back into therapy to Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa.  I say fortunate because one, hospital stays are far too short now days because of insurance policies.  Second, for a year I had no idea what the potential for a C5-C6 quad was.  While in Magee, I was introduced to a variety of different levels of quads that were all living independent lifestyles.  Armed with endless possibilities after leaving Magee, I returned home motivated and finally with a purpose again.

The very next day after returning home from Magee, I picked up the phone and called all the gyms in the area that I knew would be wheelchair accessible.  It only took one call then I found a gym and went the next day.  I’ve been there ever since.

Since the 5 years I’ve been training, I’ve gotten my license back, I have built an all accessible house, I have become a certified personal trainer, and I have gotten back into sports, as well as started to travel.  I train able bodied clients, but I specialize in spinal cord injury clients.  I play quad rugby (murder ball), I hand cycle, swim, weight lift, and I’m looking to get into wheelchair racing and then back into triathlons. 

Since my injury, I’ve flown on a plane several times, been on a cruise, been to Las Vegas, several overnights to the beach and I’ll be leaving for Phoenix, Arizona in a few weeks.  I also put hand controls a sports car I recently purchased.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg, I have many more plans.  It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do when it happens to you.  Never, never, never, give up!