A Story of Freedom Through Mobility

Brandon Taber is the real life superman! He completed an incredible journey riding his bike from coast to coast as part of the Bike Nonstop US Challenge. Brandon rode over 3,600 miles of mixed terrain in 22 days with the goal of raising awareness around the staggering 22 Veteran suicides per day and the importance of programs like Adaptive Adventures. Brandon has raised over $5,000 for Adaptive Adventures programs ensuring that others with physical disabilities have the opportunity to push depression, anxiety and isolation aside and experience the joy, freedom and camaraderie available to them through outdoor sports. Our National Cycling Manager, Chris Wiegand and CTRS Adaptive Sports Coordinator, Gilbert Vasquez surprised Brandon as he neared the Lincoln Memorial riding the rest of the way with him to reach the coast the next day. It was an incredible moment as Brandon's bike tire touched the ocean and he recounted how he was told he would never walk again all of those years ago. 

 

Brandon Taber is a Navy Veteran from Prague, Oklahoma. Cycling has been vital to his recovery. In the Navy, he was hit by a car and suffered damage to most of his body. His right hand was reconstructed first, then he went in for back surgery on a ruptured disc. Part of the disc had traveled down a full vertebrae and pressed into his nerve canal nearly severing his right sciatic nerve. When he woke up from the surgery he was told he would never walk again. A few hours later he experienced severe health complications and found out that during the surgery there was damaged to his sympathetic nerve system. After several years of therapy, he regained his ability to walk through riding a stationary bike. He then participated in multiple cycling clinics with Adaptive Adventures. Since then he rode with Adaptive Adventures in the Determination Tour in Puerto Rico helping block traffic for handcyclists over 300 miles in three days and has traveled across the country with our team as an athlete ambassador helping provide others with adaptive cycling opportunities. During the pandemic on Veteran's Day, he rode nonstop for 24 hours to bring awareness to Veteran suicide. He dedicated his ride from coast to coast to Adaptive Adventures raising awareness and funds to give back to others with physical disabilities so they too can experience the freedom and joy that outdoor sports provides post injury or illness.  Click here to watch his full story. 

 

Brandon finished 2nd place in the Bike Nonstop US Challenge and was greeted at the Lincoln Memorial by Aleš Zavoral, from the Czech Republic, who placed first. We are beyond proud of Brandon for being the first disabled American Veteran to complete the challenge and in the top 10 of fastest recorded times ever! Truly a remarkable feat. Thank you Brandon Taber for highlighting the importance of programs like Adaptive Adventures, for sharing your journey with us and for giving back in such a remarkable way.