Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike King.
Mike, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
1978, I was 20 years old and full of life and excited about what lay ahead of me with plans and dreams of going into business with my dad on the dairy farm. But sometimes things happen that are so painful or dramatic that they sort your life into before’s and after’s. A child’s diagnoses with autism, a man hears the words ALS for the first time; a phone call comes – “there’s been an accident” I guess that’s what happened to me in 1978. An accident, a spinal cord injury and my life sorted itself into before and after.
Growing up on a dairy farm I was always moving, there was always work to be done or sports to be played. Then one rainy day, a few years after high school on what was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime, every single thing in my life changed. I was riding my motorcycle in Canada with some friends and was hit by a car. The last thing I remember was the honking of a horn. When I woke up my world was completely rocked. My back was broken, my spinal cord was severed, and I was told I would never walk again. I was just 20 years old.
I was devastated. I think at the beginning of a disability… whether it’s an accident or a diagnosis… you slowly begin to let go of things… your goals, your dreams, your future. I become depressed and spent years looking back at all I thought I’d lost. Friends and family helped pull me out of my depression, I slowly started moving forward, but something was missing.
Then one day… can’t tell you why I told my dad I was going to push my wheelchair across the US. At that time, I had never pushed even one mile in my wheelchair, let alone thousands. I don’t know why I said it, but for me, once the words were said, there was no backing out.
I did change one thing. Someone had already pushed from the west coast to the east coast of the US, so instead, on April 30th, 1985 I began pushing my wheelchair from Fairbanks, Alaska and ended four months later in Washington, DC on August 28th at the steps of the capital building. I pushed 5605.8 miles. It was a crazy trip, and it changed the direction of my life.
On the final day, as I pushed up Pennsylvania Avenue, I knew something had changed in me. Through that wild adventure, I stopped counting all the things I thought I had lost and started looking forward at all the things I could still do. Getting involved in adapted versions of track and field and snow skiing opened up a new world for me. It’ gave me purpose, it gave me confidence, it gave me hope. God used that trip to begin to fill the empty spots in my life.
God also used that trip to begin to plant a seed that would eventually become Powered to Move. It was towards the end of my wheelchair trip, rolling into my hometown. My trip had gotten some publicity at that point, and so there were people cheering me on along the sides of the road, there were bicyclist who came out to ride with me to a celebration. We were moving pretty fast as I whizzed by a group of people in wheelchairs who were rolling to the celebration too.
As I flew past them, it hit me like a ton of bricks. “What are you doing?” “They’re who this trip is all about” I stopped short, waited for my friends in those wheelchairs and we rolled into the celebration together. You see as much as I love pushing the limits, crossing a finish line, being first…. I just love seeing others cross their own finish lines, meet their own goals, find their own way forward even more. And that’s why I started Powered to Move.
Powered to Move isn’t just about races, or sports or working out, it’s about people… people who happen to have disabilities… all kinds of disabilities, physical, intellectual, you name it. We can see this future at Powered to Move, where folks with disabilities are coming off the sidelines and stepping out of the shadows. Where kids with autism learn to dance and folks with down syndrome learn to drum.
Where people with Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida build their strength and independence, where wheelchairs and handcyclists pepper start lines and their smiles fly through finish lines with everyone else. We have a vision where those who need the most assistance are given the opportunity to belong, and they teach us a thing or two along the way.
No Powered to Move isn’t about races… it’s about a community of people coming together, helping each other to live happier, healthier, more independent and more courageous lives.
Has it been a smooth road?
I never had physical obstacles that held me back, I mean sure there were lots of physical barriers such as steps and curbs and narrow doors that prevent wheelchairs for getting around easy, but I never let that stop me. I could always ask for assistance from someone and very very rarely have I ever found a no answer. So my friends, family, and others I met along the way helped me conquer the physical barriers to accomplish the dream or idea.
My wheelchair trip back in 1985 still is a springboard today for me. When the tough times come in our life whether emotional or physical, I have people and experience I can draw on to help me diagnose what I need to do to get through this situation. 40 years in a wheelchair has taught me a lot about life, and I draw on that experience in how equipment has changed and what to do to make it work better for me and others I am teaching and encouraging in life’s journey.
Powered to Move is a Faith-based Ministry. God has always been a big part of my life and today is the leader and provider for all we do at Powered to Move. I came to realize this the summer of 1985. I at different times on that 5600-mile journey would get down in the dumps for whatever reason; the body is not working right, equipment failure or breakdown, plans canceled to do something exciting at like a sports venue or publicity events being canceled because something else trumped my event.
God always came through for me with the right person, bible verse I thought of or a better event that we got to participate in. In 1985, it was a group of high school students from Delta Junction Alaska who helped pull my head and attitude up out of the funk it was in. I was not emotionally and physically able to complete the miles I needed to do each day when I started the trip on April 30, 1985. Those students surprised me that 5th morning by being along the road waiting for me.
As we spent the day together riding we hit our first 60-mile day and I had not realized I had gone that far. The previous days were topped at 35 to 40 one day. What made the difference, what changed that I was able to do 60 miles that day.
Philippians 3:12-16 gave me the answer and the high school students helped me realize that by the spending the day with me. They helped me focus my mind where it needed to be each day of the summer. “Forget what lies behind and look what lies ahead; keep your eyes on the prize” the goal line. Whether it be a destination a few miles ahead to Washington DC focusing on what lies ahead rather than the struggle you are experiencing can get you through the difficulty.
At Powered to Move when we were established in November of 2013 both Sharyn, and I were blessed and amazed at how quickly our paperwork and seed funding to get started happened. We see God’s direct hand in the people we asked and God touched and encouraged to bless us in getting started. God continues to guide and direct us in our decisions for the ministry by the people He had helped us find as board members and all the athletes and partners we have found to help us accomplish our mission with Powered to Move.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Powered to Move (sport and fitness ministry) – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Powered to Move:
The mission of Powered to Move is to put Christ’s love in action by providing people with intellectual and physical disabilities opportunities for physical fitness and activity.
We have three main programs:
The Wingman Racing program – allows athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities to take part in local races like 1-mile fun runs, 5K’s or longer with the help of a Wingman Team. The WingMan teams are able-bodied volunteers who assist the athlete with a disability in completing the race. If the athlete has a physical disability and can’t power themselves, Wingmen will push them through the race using joggers provided by P2M. If they have intellectual disabilities, they will walk or run alongside the athlete based on their physical abilities, providing encouragement and direction to and through the finish line.
These athletes receive physical benefits, but also the experience in being a part of the community, setting a goal and achieving it by crossing the finish line with their Wingman Team and others cheering them on.
The Handcycle Program – like the wingman program, is for all types of disability that have the ability to power themselves with the adapted equipment. I meet that person desiring to learn at a park or trail near there home and teach the basic safety and riding skills needed. We also have a designated Saturday each month for all of us to come together and enjoy a ride and fun time of fellowship. As a persons skill level increases, they are invited with Powered to Move’s elite riders on longer rides and races. We also help direct people to funding sources to help purchase there own hand-cycle.
Our most popular and fastest growing program is the Adapted Fitness. The individual element to this program is connecting one on one an athlete with disability and a trainer in the area at a gym close by so transportation is not an issue. Their trainer provided by Powered to Move guides them in the proper use and exercise routine for the 24-week sessions. They are then given an exit plan, so they are able to continue the exercise themselves to live a better lifestyle. We may at times increase their weekly lessons to help them if they are still facing some challenges.
Our group fitness classes have three different parts; 45-minute boot camp style workouts, Powered to dance classes and Powered to Drum classes. Sharyn and Carolyn both adapted trainers in group fitness direct these programs, and they are taken into group homes for young adults throughout the DFW area. We also do our own classes at various locations in the areas which are announced through our social media network. These workouts and classes we hear are game changers in the lives of people with intellectual disability and Autism. Parents are telling us; their children are sleeping, eating and living a better healthier lifestyle.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Allen is a small town atmosphere in the big city. I like that personally being from the country. If a comment on Dallas or DFW, in general, is what you are looking for; I love looking at the Skylines of Cities I have visited. Dallas has one of those skylines that I love and can picture always. Although I have lived here only five years, I have visited many tome years earlier and watched the famous Dallas tv show as a youngster I loved the views during the opener.
Getting around downtown is another story, traffic can and usually is a nightmare, but it has taught me great patience while driving. I love the country flavor in the big city whether it be the dress code or even the friendly smile you can get from most of those who pass by.
Great restaurants and foods of all flavors. Of course, where but Dallas can you find great BBQ Texas style. Only complaint is the constant construction and traffic headaches.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.poweredtomove.org
- Phone: 484 802 5659 (Mike); 214 906 7646 (Sharyn)
- Email: mike@poweredtomove.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poweredtomove/
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
