My name is Tara Richards. I am a 48-year-old single mother of three amazing kids.
In 2018, my life was forever changed by the onset of systemic joint pain and crushing fatigue. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and began a very long process of seeking the right treatment regimen, a process I am still working through. This impacted my ability to be active and outdoors. I continued to push through and do what I could adapting the way we camped and my kayak equipment, hoping the right treatment would get me back on track in my life. Then in November, 2019, I herniated a disk in my lower back. That led to emergency spinal surgery in early December. Unlike most people who have this condition, I did not simply walk out of the hospital. Instead, I ended up with nerve damage to my right leg an
d spent three weeks in a rehab hospital. I left in a wheelchair, hoping I would get more function back over time. It is now clear that the damage is permanent.
The immediate halt on all outdoor activity and exercise caused me to gain weight and become extremely depressed and hopeless. I completely lost touch with everything that made me happy and healthy. I have been desperately trying to save myself from this, and an integral part of my being able to be successful is for me to be able to enjoy the outdoors, get exercise, and lose weight. I am very limited in how far I can walk before I need to use a wheelchair. It has been a difficult thing to accept. Then I ran across this wheelchair, and I saw hope and possibility again!
The GRIT Freedom Chair is an all-terrain wheelchair that was designed at MIT. It's said to be the most versatile wheelchair in the world, designed with a unique lever drive system that provides necessary leverage to traverse over terrains that we would never be able to journey on without it. This chair will allow me to go “off-roading” over snow, sand, rock, gravel, grass and uneven terrain. I can go to the park with my daughter and not be stuck in my car or the bench on the sidewalk. I can go to the dog park with my pups. We can go hiking, or to the beach. We can go back to Yellowstone and I can go with Calleigh to see all the amazing sights rather than sending her with a camera while I sat in the car because my current wheelchair cannot traverse the rough wooden paths. We can travel to places that may not be as accessible for a standard wheelchair, maybe even including another mission trip!
All of this is very exciting to me, and then I saw the Spartan model, created specifically for competitors in the Spartan races: intense, challenging, off-road obstacle course races. Spartan races have started adding Para Heats for people with disabilities to compete with a team, allowing use of the Grit Freedom Chair and the assistance of team members to conquer the obstacles and complete the race. My sons have even agreed to be a part of my team! This is now one of my ultimate goals, a goal I thought was impossible for me to even consider just a few weeks ago. I a
m going to complete this incredible challenge!
I found out there is a chair available to use at a state park about an hour’s drive from me. I took the kids and drove down to the park to try it out. I had my son take some pictures and video and posted them in the first update here. Do you see my smile?? I was able to push for over a mile, on uneven terrain, and my hands didn’t hurt when I was done. They weren’t useless for the next two days. I could have gone back and done it again two days later. The lever drive system will allow me to exercise consistently. I can lose weight and get in shape! I can get back to living life, focusing on what I can do rather than seeing all of the things I can’t.
I have sought adventure and challenge my entire life and this chair is my ticket to freedom, to adventure, to challenge, to LIFE! www.gogrit.us
Thank you so much for your donation and for sharing this campaign!
If you’re not in a position to help financially, I would greatly appreciate your support by sharing this campaign with your friends. The farther it reaches the better my chances of raising enough for the Grit Freedom Spartan Chair! Thank you!
In 2018, my life was forever changed by the onset of systemic joint pain and crushing fatigue. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and began a very long process of seeking the right treatment regimen, a process I am still working through. This impacted my ability to be active and outdoors. I continued to push through and do what I could adapting the way we camped and my kayak equipment, hoping the right treatment would get me back on track in my life. Then in November, 2019, I herniated a disk in my lower back. That led to emergency spinal surgery in early December. Unlike most people who have this condition, I did not simply walk out of the hospital. Instead, I ended up with nerve damage to my right leg an
d spent three weeks in a rehab hospital. I left in a wheelchair, hoping I would get more function back over time. It is now clear that the damage is permanent.
The immediate halt on all outdoor activity and exercise caused me to gain weight and become extremely depressed and hopeless. I completely lost touch with everything that made me happy and healthy. I have been desperately trying to save myself from this, and an integral part of my being able to be successful is for me to be able to enjoy the outdoors, get exercise, and lose weight. I am very limited in how far I can walk before I need to use a wheelchair. It has been a difficult thing to accept. Then I ran across this wheelchair, and I saw hope and possibility again!
The GRIT Freedom Chair is an all-terrain wheelchair that was designed at MIT. It's said to be the most versatile wheelchair in the world, designed with a unique lever drive system that provides necessary leverage to traverse over terrains that we would never be able to journey on without it. This chair will allow me to go “off-roading” over snow, sand, rock, gravel, grass and uneven terrain. I can go to the park with my daughter and not be stuck in my car or the bench on the sidewalk. I can go to the dog park with my pups. We can go hiking, or to the beach. We can go back to Yellowstone and I can go with Calleigh to see all the amazing sights rather than sending her with a camera while I sat in the car because my current wheelchair cannot traverse the rough wooden paths. We can travel to places that may not be as accessible for a standard wheelchair, maybe even including another mission trip!
All of this is very exciting to me, and then I saw the Spartan model, created specifically for competitors in the Spartan races: intense, challenging, off-road obstacle course races. Spartan races have started adding Para Heats for people with disabilities to compete with a team, allowing use of the Grit Freedom Chair and the assistance of team members to conquer the obstacles and complete the race. My sons have even agreed to be a part of my team! This is now one of my ultimate goals, a goal I thought was impossible for me to even consider just a few weeks ago. I a
m going to complete this incredible challenge!
I found out there is a chair available to use at a state park about an hour’s drive from me. I took the kids and drove down to the park to try it out. I had my son take some pictures and video and posted them in the first update here. Do you see my smile?? I was able to push for over a mile, on uneven terrain, and my hands didn’t hurt when I was done. They weren’t useless for the next two days. I could have gone back and done it again two days later. The lever drive system will allow me to exercise consistently. I can lose weight and get in shape! I can get back to living life, focusing on what I can do rather than seeing all of the things I can’t.
I have sought adventure and challenge my entire life and this chair is my ticket to freedom, to adventure, to challenge, to LIFE! www.gogrit.us
Thank you so much for your donation and for sharing this campaign!
If you’re not in a position to help financially, I would greatly appreciate your support by sharing this campaign with your friends. The farther it reaches the better my chances of raising enough for the Grit Freedom Spartan Chair! Thank you!