Doctors gave a Winnipeg bodybuilder a one per cent chance of walking again after a motorcycle accident in 2013 left him paralyzed from the neck down. Now, Shane Dyck is competing on the provincial stage.
On Aug. 27, 2013, his motorcycle collided with the centre median on north Main Street.
The 23-year-old went flying over his bike and landed head first into a cement planter. Dyck said he doesn’t remember the crash.
During a 13-hour surgery, doctors fused Dyck's spine together with four rods and 22 bolts.
Dyck spent thousands of hours in rehab, learned to walk again, and has now placed third in the light-heavyweight class in the Manitoba Amateur Bodybuilding Association's provincial qualifiers.
For more than four months, Dyck said he has put all his energy into getting back on stage. “People don’t realize how much of a24-hour job this is, especially for someone in my shoes.”
The crowd gave him a standing ovation after his performance.
"Ever since day one in physio, that was a goal of mine, and today it happened. So, it was overwhelming…I can't find the words for it, it's nuts," he said.
Dyck was also nominated for the Iron Will award, given to a competitor who has overcome extraordinary circumstances or shown extreme dedication in pursuit of health.
He has another surgery scheduled for this spring. Recovery is expected to take a year.
- With files from Cheryl Holmes
