Kevin Rempel
Kevin Rempel is a Canadian sledge hockey player.
Rempel was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, and lists his hometown as Vineland, Ontario. He became an incomplete paraplegic in July 2006, after a dirt bike jumping accident. He began playing sledge hockey in 2008 with the Niagara Thunderblades. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2013 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships in Goyang, Korea, and a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Early life
Rempel grew up in Vineland, Ontario and lived a very modest life. He enjoyed riding his BMX, skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross as a child. His passion for motocross began at the age of 10 years old when neighbours down the street received motocross bikes for Christmas and saw the bikes riding in the back fields. Rempel got his first dirtbike at the age of 12.After trying his hand at racing for a few years, it was apparent that he was not cut out for racing and decided to make a switch to pursue FMX. After being inspired during an 8-month trip to British Columbia during his college co-op, Rempel returned home to Ontario and started his own company, Underground FMX Productions, to being putting on his own FMX stunt shows.
After performing his first jump show on Canada Day weekend, Rempel crashed at his second show in Haliburton, Ontario on July 15, 2006. Rempel claims that he wasn't fully mentally focused that day riding, and as a result, when he took off on the take off ramp, he wasn't in the correct body position and decided to let go mid-air and landed on the ground without the motorcycle. The impact broke his back, pelvis, ribs, and he was instantly paralyzed.
Spinal cord injury life
As a result of the motocross accident, Rempel is an incomplete paraplegic. He suffered a fracture-dislocation of his T12-L1 vertebrae. Luckily, he didn't sever his spinal cord, and as a result or surgery and therapy he was able to teach himself how to walk again. He still suffers from long terms effects living with a spinal cord injury, such as nerve pain and muscle spasms.Gerald Rempel
In addition to Kevin's accident, his father, Gerald Rempel, also had an accident which resulted in a spinal cord injury. Kevin and Gerald were building a tree stand one day when the branch Gerald was standing on broke, and he fell 25 feet to the ground breaking his back and became a complete paraplegic just nine months from retirement. Unfortunately, Gerald struggled with his spinal cord injury and became very negative, and developed a gambling addiction.Gerald's wife, Shirley, eventually left Gerald, not because of his disability, but because of his negative attitude. Seven weeks later Gerald committed suicide. Soon after, while at family counselling, Kevin was asked to share his story of mental resilience and perseverance at a fundraising event for Spinal Cord Injury Ontario. His story was very well received and that is what ultimately started his speaking career.