If you ever end up deep, deep in the wilderness, you may find Trevor riding solo in his GRIT Freedom Chair and towing a kayak chock-full of gear. Or, instead, you may hear his laughter as he guides a flurry of grandchildren and other family through the woods away from their basecamp. Regardless of where he is and who has joined him on the day’s ride, one thing is certain: Trevor will be riding fearlessly and confidently.
The (wonderful, mucky, muddy, lake-sized-puddle of) icing on top? He documents many of his outings in video and photo, so we can all follow along!
GRIT recently had the chance to sit down with Trevor to learn more about what led him to GRIT, to understand more about how he uses his Freedom Chair, and—most importantly—to put a spotlight on this hardworking, fun-loving, joy-spreading powerhouse we are lucky to know. Read on to learn more.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am a 53-year-old husband, father, and grandfather, with 13 children and 20 grandchildren. In 2006 I suffered multiple catastrophic and life-changing injuries when I fell 93 feet down a vertical mineshaft. My injuries, which included an amputation, dual spinal cord injuries, and a brain injury, ultimately left me partially paralyzed and permanently wheelchair-bound.
Why did you initially pursue an all-terrain wheelchair? What features and functionalities were most important when making that decision?
In 2022, 16 years after my accident, I found myself dealing with terrible depression, seriously overweight, in terrible health, and in need of some major life changes. Although it had been many years since I had gone camping or attempted any real outdoor activities, I decided to try my hand at some fishing. That led to me wanting to go camping, which led me to try kayaking in a wheelchair for the first time. Throughout that first year, I rediscovered a pure joy for outdoor adventuring but I quickly discovered that my wheelchairs at the time simply could not keep up with my growing passion for getting out into nature. This led me to my initial search for an all-terrain, off-road wheelchair that could get me to the various places I wanted to go.
Can you tell us about your first ride in the GRIT Freedom Chair? Has your experience improved since your first ride?
When I first got my Freedom Chair I instantly knew I had made the right decision in my purchase. I could not believe where I could get to on my family’s large property in the mountains. By the end of the first week, I had already ventured off of my property and onto the many forest trails that surround my home. Although I initially found great difficulty in controlling my GRIT chair due to the rough and difficult mountain trails I was traveling on, one phone call later I had a refurbished steering peg headed my way, compliments of my incredible GRIT rep, Scott. He actually overnight-shipped it to me so it would arrive in time for a 3-day solo camping trip I was scheduled to leave for at the end of the week (which happened to be my 14th day with my chair)! So, in 14 days, I went from slowly scooting around my property to embarking on a 12-mile solo excursion into the wilderness! Oh, and that steering peg? It made all the difference in the world and I now tell others that of all the optional accessories, steering peg(s) are at the very top of the “must have” list!
“I just love taking my grandkids with me on my Handicapable Adventures and I never miss an opportunity to connect with them, LIVE, REAL, and IN-PERSON.
Whether it be while camping, kayaking, fishing, or just adventuring in the beautiful forest surrounding our mountain property, I love to include them in it all!”
—Trevor
How do you use your GRIT Freedom Chair? Any unique attachments or tips/tricks you use?
WOW…where do I start??? There is virtually nothing I do without my chair and I have adapted it for every outdoor activity I participate in! From camping, wheelchair hiking, kayaking, hunting, off-roading, fishing, and even tending to the animals on our ranch, my GRIT Freedom Chair is with me everywhere I go.
At first, I found a way to attach two water bottles, a headlight, tail lights, a cyclometer, a shovel and ax, a winch and other off-road recovery gear, a trauma/IFAK pack, a tool and spare parts gear bag, an 80-liter waterproof adventure bag, and most interestingly an old .50 caliber ammo can that I insulated and turned into an ice chest. (The pics are just SICK!). I then named my beloved GRIT chair the “Trail Beast” and headed out on that first solo camping trip!
After that, I figured out a way to break down and safely stow my GRIT chair onto the back of my kayak for multi-day camping and fishing trips on our local lakes and rivers. Of course, that led to me needing to figure out a way to tow my kayaks and/or a utility/camping trailer with my FC! I also fabricated a custom mount so I can transport my FC on the back of my ATV and get even further into the wilderness for my crazy adventures.
Are there any organizations or groups that are important to you?
As a veteran, I have sat as director on multiple boards for veteran-related charitable organizations, so I am very into supporting veteran groups. In fact, I was contacted just yesterday by a veteran’s organization, who asked me to participate in an upcoming 26.2-mile “ruck march” to raise money and awareness for veteran support groups. A
After answering a ton of their questions about my FC, I also helped the organization decide to purchase a FC for one of their team members to help him participate in the march.
Tell us about your most recent outdoor adventure. What were the highs/lows?
My most recent adventure was a crazy one for sure! I gathered up a group of my grandchildren and we ditched the parents, threw out the rule books, and headed into the wild for a 36-hour camping, kayaking, and fishing adventure!
During the trip I towed one of my kayaks, which also served as a trailer for all of the gear needed for the six of us. My GRIT chair, AKA the “Trail Beast,” could not have performed better during the nearly 5-mile excursion through the woods to one of our local creeks. I just finished editing the video for that trip and uploaded it to my “Handicapable Adventures” YouTube channel today! I got some fantastic footage of me towing my 75-pound kayak with my FC and using it as a trailer to carry everything from our gear, to the boulders needed to build a safe fire pit, as well as all of the wood needed to cook our meals and stay warm overnight.
What makes your GRIT chair the right equipment for your outdoor adventures, like your solo camping trip?
When I was shopping for a wheelchair that could truly handle all of my personal needs, one of the huge deciding factors was just how small the FC can break down. One of my primary requirements was that my wheelchair had to be able to go with me on my kayaking adventures, so there was only one real choice. And yes, my FC goes with me on ALL of my multi-day kayak camping excursions!
“Our plans include a three-mile wheelchair hike through the woods, setting up our own tents and preparing our own sleeping areas, and scavenging all the wood we will need for dinner, s’mores, and breakfast, as well as for overnight warmth. We’ll also be enjoying some creek fishing, practicing setting up some small overnight hunting snares, doing a bit of bowed and BB-rifle-based target shooting, and anything else I can convince a rowdy group of grandkids to do!”
—Trevor, discussing one of his recent adventures
What has been your favorite memory in your GRIT Freedom Chair so far?
While I love taking my grandkids out on wilderness adventures and I do enjoy group trips with family and friends, what I truly love the most is the freedom to be able to go out by myself, with no help, no support, and no limitations, and still be capable of doing all the things that I once believed were no longer achievable!!!
