Before You Blow Off the Gym, Read Jimmy’s StoryBy GymChickFor www.EliteFTS.com
This article originally appeared on the GymChick website. To see
the original article, visit
http://gymchickri.com/article115.shtml. We all have our “off” days in the gym. Even the most dedicated of gym
rats will find an excuse to blow off a workout every now and then. Let’s
face it. Who’s not guilty of slacking off in spin class because of a
sore knee, a little ache or pain, or maybe excess fatigue brought on by
staying out too late the night before? I’ve pretty much heard every
excuse in the book including, “I can’t make it to the gym. I feel too
fat today.” (What’s up with that?) The first time I spotted Jimmy Hebert in the gym was New Year’s Day
2008. He was pulling himself out of his wheelchair onto a bench to wrap
up his chest workout. He then hoisted himself back into his wheelchair
and moved onto the cable curl machine to start on biceps. I commented to
a friend that it was inspiring to see him in the gym so early on New
Year’s Day (especially when the majority of the population was still in
bed recovering from a night of partying from the night before). Something in common When I first approached Jimmy to discuss writing this article, I learned that we had a lot in common. Along with a passion for working out and a taste for rock music (especially Lynyrd Skynyrd), we also shared a weakness for Cookies ‘N Cream ice cream! But on an even more personal level, I found that we both had gone through similar grueling physical therapy to recover from accidents. We both had our accidents in the month of September. My accident was in 1985, and Jimmy’s accident occurred in 1986. I thought about the significance and realized that my long road to recovery had ended at just about the exact time that Jimmy’s journey was about to begin. But I was one of the lucky ones. My injuries were not permanent, and
I regained my ability to walk in a year’s time. Jimmy’s injuries are
permanent, and he has been paralyzed since the night of his accident
over 20 years ago. Jimmy was 17-years-old when he was involved in an accident while he was riding his motorcycle down route 44 in Smithfield on the Johnston line, just in front of where the Paint Bucket used to be. He doesn’t remember a whole lot about the initial details of the accident, but he recalls pain in his foot and ankle. He also recalls being upset that the paramedics had to cut off his brand new “Members Only” jacket. (Funny how we remember the little details when such a trauma has occurred!) Jimmy’s injuries were life threatening, and he almost died even
though he was wearing a helmet. He recalls being given his last rites in
the hospital. His back was broken, his gallbladder had to be removed,
and tubes were inserted into his sides to repair his collapsed lungs. He
was also unable to breathe on his own and was placed on a ventilator.
When he finally pulled through, he learned that he was paralyzed from
the knees down. He also suffered some paralysis in his lower spine area.
He went through months of physical therapy and surgeries to rebuild his
broken body. When he was finally released from the hospital, he was
faced with the realization that he would never walk again. Prior to the accident, Jimmy always had people comment about the size
of his legs. “Like tree trunks,” he said. As Jimmy recalls, “I rode a
bicycle everywhere. I had very muscular legs, and I was the fastest
runner in school. I lifted weights at the gym, and my favorite exercise
was squatting.” Jimmy enjoyed his youth. He got together with his
buddies, and they would ride their motorcycles together. Jimmy rode a
black Ninja 1000R that had red pinstripes. He had a good time checking
out the action at the local hot spots in town when he went out riding
with the guys. Jimmy feels fortunate to be alive, and he’s thankful that he is able
to live independently. He’s had to deal with some medical issues such as
infections in his legs, but he doesn’t let it get him down. He wants
people to know that he lives his life like everyone else. Jimmy had a special hand cycle built and enjoys riding it on the
Lincoln bike path. It’s not as fast as the one he rode when he could
walk, but it still gives him the same thrill and taste of freedom that
he enjoyed over 20 years ago. The cycle was built by a guy named Scott
Pellett, founder of Bike-on.com, who Jimmy describes as “unbelievable…I
really admire this guy because he changed my life. Now, I can ride a
bike with my son. For that, I am truly thankful to Scott.” Though Jimmy will live the rest of his life in a wheelchair, he doesn’t feel sorry for himself. In fact, he doesn’t consider himself to be special and wants YOU to understand that he’s not much different at all. He has his challenges just like everyone else. He just takes his challenges sitting down. He’s gotten accustomed to people coming up to him and offering their help. He really doesn’t need the help, but he doesn’t turn people down because he doesn’t want to offend them. But truth be told, he’s a regular guy, and he’s living his life like you and me. He goes out, he likes hanging out at Effin’s, he has a good time, and he loves being a Dad. And yes, he loves working out at the gym, which he describes as his therapy! So stop and think about it. The next time you decide to blow off the
gym because you stayed out partying late the night before or are “not in
the mood” or “feeling too fat” or claim to be “too tired,” think about
Jimmy and consider this your wake-up call! Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit us at www.EliteFTS.com. |
