‘Ready to ride’: Former Olympian turns talents to sharing the road with riders of all abilities

Michele Fiore, WDJT via CNN

MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — A travel to a motorcycle shop has nan parents of a Shorewood boy, calved pinch a uncommon information that mirrors Down Syndrome, emotion renewed hope. Now, they want to show different families astir nan state they’ve found.

“He was diagnosed pinch Au-Kline syndrome which is simply a uncommon syndrome. He couldn’t prime his caput up until astir six months of age. We recovered retired that he had it randomly. We put him successful a study astatine Children’s and they recovered it. I ne'er imagined him doing stairs, getting successful and retired of a car,” said Jamie Wojciechowski, Elliott’s mom.

The Au-Kline syndrome test correct from nan commencement was concerning. Some authorities programs for children pinch disabilities helped, but nan Wojciechowskis opportunity it was a fortunate break erstwhile personification pointed them to a programme they hoped could thief Elliott’s beingness strength, and moreover subsidize nan cost. That landed them successful Emery’s Cycling, Triathlon and Fitness shop connected Lisbon Avenue wherever co-owner Brent Emery was capable to creation a motorcycle that matches Elliott’s needs.

“It changed his expertise to beryllium independent and move different than conscionable you cognize constricted connected nan ground,” said Emery.

Elliott’s moreover allowed to thrust his motorcycle astatine school.

“He would telephone maine retired and beryllium for illustration Hi and I’d beryllium for illustration Hi and I’d spell retired and springiness him a hug -and my teachers wouldn’t mind so,” said Allie Wojciechowski, Elliott’s sister.

“It was difficult to get him to exercise, he would alternatively conscionable ever watch, truthful having nan motorcycle and its assistance pinch things and information of nan feet being strapped successful truthful he didn’t consciousness for illustration he was going to autumn off, each that worldly does thief and truthful he would workout and yea,” said Jamie Wojciechowski.

But extracurricular school, it was a different story.

“They’ll do things for strangers that they wouldn’t do for you arsenic nan parent, he pretends he can’t do it you know,” said Jamie Wojciechowski.

Years later, Elliott’s parents recovered a caller summation that’s keeping him progressive astatine location too.

“Fully electric, you person a throttle that you tin use. You person an assistance truthful you move connected nan motorcycle and arsenic Brent said, you don’t commencement connected 5 aliases you’ll peel retired (giggles)” said Jamie Wojciechowski.

This is nan first clip Elliott sewage connected their caller recumbent bike. Jamie gets choked up recalling his grin that day, truthful big.

“Wind blowing and he’s carefree and he’s smiling so,” said Jamie Wojciechowski.

The smiles continued a period later.

“I for illustration nan bluish one,” said Elliott. We asked, “How come?” Elliott said, “Because I thrust it pinch Mommy.”

“We woody pinch a batch of children, much truthful than nan adults pinch a disablement because there’s conscionable immoderate bully programs retired location to money it. So it’s not conscionable families that tin spend this, if personification really is successful a business that they want to get nan at-home benefits of beingness therapy pinch a bike, we’re gonna find a measurement to make it hap nary matter what it takes,” said Emery.

Emery’s has been successful business since 1963. Brent took a time off of absence successful 1984 because thing large came calling his sanction – nan Olympics!

“It was 12 laps connected a banked motorcycle way and truthful astir 2.5 miles. You commencement pinch nan 4 of you together, and we had immoderate existent adventures pinch mechanical worldly and crashes and double crashes and but by nan clip that we sewage to nan semifinals, we hit nan existent world grounds holders and world champions,” said Emery.

Brent has an award-winning communicative himself, having competed successful nan 1984 Olympics, his squad bringing location a metallic badge and getting to meet nan President and First Lady.

“When I went disconnected into nan motorcycle racing world and came backmost into our business, I was looking for things to really do to dispersed our wings and do much successful our community,” said Emery.

Forty years later, Emery’s is 1 of nan fewer motorcycle shops astir nan state specializing successful making adaptive bikes.

“We built complete 1500 disablement bikes correct now, that’s changed immoderate 1500 lives positive each those families that are pinch them, and you know,” said Emery.

From nan infinitesimal families locomotion successful nan doorway until they leave, nan individual touch is clear.

“Now look astatine my nose. I sewage a funny nose. It’s easy to look at,” said Emery to Jax who will beryllium successful 3rd people soon.

“Now really do you consciousness connected this 1 because you’ve sewage nan three-wheel motorcycle astatine home,” said Emery.

This summer, Steve Christianson says his boy Jax is hoping to study a caller skill. They’re present getting an appraisal connected a bike.

“He is going into an I Can Ride Camp successful a fewer weeks, and we wanted to make judge that he was gonna get nan correct size motorcycle and we cognize that Emery’s does a really bully job,” said Christianson.

“It’s been conscionable a chaotic thrust because we’re making parts that don’t exist. We’re doing things that are pressing manufacturers to make their products amended and we’re really making bikes that look much for illustration their friends and siblings’ bikes than conscionable circumstantial bikes that personification is for illustration ohio that personification has a disability,” said Emery.

“That’s fresh to ride,” said Emery.

“We built a motorcycle a fewer years agone for a young man. He was only calved pinch half arms connected some sides and beneath his belly button, wasn’t calved pinch thing and I told nan family, I said I person nary thought what I’m gonna do, what nan bike’s gonna look like, really agelong it’s gonna take, moreover really overmuch it’s gonna cost, but I said if you want him to thrust a bike, we’re gonna find a way,” said Emery.

Brent says nan National Bike Dealers Association has 8-thousand motorcycle shops successful it. He put retired an hour-long tutorial to thatch others successful nan business really to make adaptive bikes.

“And we request a 1000 shops servicing nan needs of group pinch disabilities alternatively of a mates dozen,” said Emery.

And while backmost successful 1984, it whitethorn person appeared an Olympic badge would beryllium his legacy, each these years later, for Brent, it’s this, hands down.

“The medal, I sewage to opportunity I sewage an Olympic medal, it changed my life for sure, but it didn’t alteration everybody else’s life. So doing everything that we tin to get arsenic galore disablement bikes built and to promote different places astir nan world to commencement doing much of this, that has a overmuch bigger impact. It’s absolute gratification each day,” said Emery.

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