Canadian icon Rick Hansen visits injured Castlegar boy Cole Hoodicoff
By Kyra Hoggan
Today looks to be an exciting day for 11-year-old Cole Hoodicoff, the Castlegar boy facing potential paralysis after a devastating ski accident Jan. 3.
Cole’s father, Brad, told The Source Cole will be receiving a visit this morning from Paralympian Rick Hansen, who has received both the Order of Canada (the country’s highest civilian honour), and the Order of British Columbia for his activism on behalf of those with spinal cord injuries.
Hansen lost the use of his legs at the age of 15 due to a spinal cord injury sustained in a car crash.
“Cole’s really excited about it – he had a smile from ear-to-ear,” reports Brad of today’s visit, explaining it was the result of several efforts by locals Vicky Brown and Marla Hoodicoff to contact Hansen, just over 25 years after he was first brought to the public eye with his Man in Motion World tour spanning 40,000 kilometres and 34 countries.
“At first he (Hansen) was just going to call Cole, but now he has decided to visit personally.
“I got books from the library and read them to Cole so he would understand who (Hansen) is and what he’s all about – he wasn’t really sure at first,” Brad explained. “Now he’s really thrilled – this is so inspiring.”
Brad also said Cole is doing remarkably well, learning how to manoever a wheelchair and building upper-body strength to increase his independence and mobility.
Cole may be coming home to Castlegar from the rehabilitation facility in which he is now recovering, out at the coast, as soon as the end of March or early April, depending on how his recovery progresses.
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