Login
- Not a member? Click here to join xAble.com!
Entertainment
Andrew Shelley Circles Globe in Power Wheelchair
By Natalie Russo
CARMEL, IN - April 26, 2008 - Traveling the world is an amazing experience for anyone who chooses to do so; however with unfamiliar places, uncomfortable sleeping conditions and unusual eating habits, it can certainly take a toll on your body. Now, imagine doing this in a power wheelchair - alone. That is just what 29 year old Andrew Shelley did in November 2007. Shelley has Emery Dreifuss, a type of muscular dystrophy that progressively weakens the muscles. However, his physical disability did not stop him from experiencing the trip of a lifetime. Growing up in South Africa and traveling to Europe when he was younger, he ached to see more of the world.
Shelley was a born adventurer and sitting behind a desk on a daily basis did not compliment his personality. “I thought there was more to life than an 8 foot by 8 foot cubical…I wanted to do more than just go to work every day. I wanted to experience adventure. I wanted to travel new places. So I decided to quit my job and travel the world.”
Getting together with Dustin Duprel, his roommate and a film major at the San Diego State University, Shelley and Duprel decided to record this journey and turn it into a never before seen documentary: “Beyond the Chair.” But the deal was, Duprel and his crew were not to assist Shelley in any way. Although there were people traveling with him, Shelley was to rely only on himself and the natives for assistance.
After months of planning and fundraising, Shelley finally set off for his epic adventure. His itinerary included New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, India, and the United Arab Emirates. “I wanted some place more adventurous than Europe, New Zealand or Australia because those places are similar to the US in terms of accessibility.” He experienced just what he dreamed. For some, the challenges would have been insurmountable, but for Shelley, it was the perfect adventure.
Traveling from country to country, Shelley encountered many cultures, inquisitive people, and a lack of medical technology such as other power wheelchairs. Instead he found disabled people being pushed in make shift hand carts, non accessible buildings and an incredible amount of human compassion. People though puzzled by his power wheelchair were willing to help and carry him, or his chair, when necessary.
Shelley tributes his journey to the Frontier X5 - a wheelchair designed for outdoor adventuring as well as indoor maneuvering. This chair allowed him to glide along the snow caps in New Zealand and through the uneven pavements in India. This whole trip would not have been possible without the Frontier X5. His advice for those power wheelchair users who want to experience the world? “Don’t be afraid of the unknown. People are more than willing to help - usually I didn’t even have to ask. And don’t let people tell you that you can’t do something and never give up. Never give up.”
The documentary “Beyond the Chair” is currently in the editing process and barring any unforeseen delays will be finished by the end of the year. Shelley hopes to teach the world that people in wheelchairs have the same opportunities for adventure and life as any other able-bodied person. “I just want to show people that it can be done and that they have the power to accomplish great things, even if they have a disability.”
To learn more about Shelley’s experience, visit www.journeybeyondthechair.com. Be sure to look for the documentary in the upcoming year.
ALSO: Hear how Shelley reached the top of the temples and took a boat ride up the Mekong River in Cambodia or how he rode the trains through India in the exclusive audio interview. Only at xAble.com.
CARMEL, IN - April 26, 2008 - Traveling the world is an amazing experience for anyone who chooses to do so; however with unfamiliar places, uncomfortable sleeping conditions and unusual eating habits, it can certainly take a toll on your body. Now, imagine doing this in a power wheelchair - alone. That is just what 29 year old Andrew Shelley did in November 2007. Shelley has Emery Dreifuss, a type of muscular dystrophy that progressively weakens the muscles. However, his physical disability did not stop him from experiencing the trip of a lifetime. Growing up in South Africa and traveling to Europe when he was younger, he ached to see more of the world.
Shelley was a born adventurer and sitting behind a desk on a daily basis did not compliment his personality. “I thought there was more to life than an 8 foot by 8 foot cubical…I wanted to do more than just go to work every day. I wanted to experience adventure. I wanted to travel new places. So I decided to quit my job and travel the world.”
Getting together with Dustin Duprel, his roommate and a film major at the San Diego State University, Shelley and Duprel decided to record this journey and turn it into a never before seen documentary: “Beyond the Chair.” But the deal was, Duprel and his crew were not to assist Shelley in any way. Although there were people traveling with him, Shelley was to rely only on himself and the natives for assistance.
After months of planning and fundraising, Shelley finally set off for his epic adventure. His itinerary included New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, India, and the United Arab Emirates. “I wanted some place more adventurous than Europe, New Zealand or Australia because those places are similar to the US in terms of accessibility.” He experienced just what he dreamed. For some, the challenges would have been insurmountable, but for Shelley, it was the perfect adventure.
Traveling from country to country, Shelley encountered many cultures, inquisitive people, and a lack of medical technology such as other power wheelchairs. Instead he found disabled people being pushed in make shift hand carts, non accessible buildings and an incredible amount of human compassion. People though puzzled by his power wheelchair were willing to help and carry him, or his chair, when necessary.
Shelley tributes his journey to the Frontier X5 - a wheelchair designed for outdoor adventuring as well as indoor maneuvering. This chair allowed him to glide along the snow caps in New Zealand and through the uneven pavements in India. This whole trip would not have been possible without the Frontier X5. His advice for those power wheelchair users who want to experience the world? “Don’t be afraid of the unknown. People are more than willing to help - usually I didn’t even have to ask. And don’t let people tell you that you can’t do something and never give up. Never give up.”
The documentary “Beyond the Chair” is currently in the editing process and barring any unforeseen delays will be finished by the end of the year. Shelley hopes to teach the world that people in wheelchairs have the same opportunities for adventure and life as any other able-bodied person. “I just want to show people that it can be done and that they have the power to accomplish great things, even if they have a disability.”
To learn more about Shelley’s experience, visit www.journeybeyondthechair.com. Be sure to look for the documentary in the upcoming year.
ALSO: Hear how Shelley reached the top of the temples and took a boat ride up the Mekong River in Cambodia or how he rode the trains through India in the exclusive audio interview. Only at xAble.com.
Copyright © 2008 - xAble, LLC