Heart to Heart personal stories that inform, inspire and empower
CREATING CHANGE At 16 years old, Alex Johnson is already working to make the world more accessible. The key, he says, is opening people’s eyes to what it’s really like to use a wheelchair, from navigating heavy doors and steep ramps to reaching the top shelf in the grocery store.
4 | Let’s Get Moving
Alex Johnson photo credit Kathy Edson-Permobil Foundation
“I got the idea for Spend a Day in My Wheels when I was in fifth grade,” Alex recalls. “I just really wanted people to understand the struggle and what it’s like to live life in a wheelchair, and I wanted to help make it better.” With the help of his dad, Nathan, and the Permobil Foundation, Alex created Spend a Day in My Wheels. Armed with 15 manual wheelchairs, Alex challenges legislators, classmates, businesses—anyone who’s up for the challenge—to spend a day navigating life in a wheelchair. “We give them a set list of tasks we want them to complete,” Alex says. “We definitely want them to visit the bathroom and try accessible parking. If it’s an office, we want them to go to the break room and get coffee. At schools, we challenge them to go through the lunch line or visit the vending machines. The goal is for them to figure out how to do very simple tasks that are more difficult from a wheelchair.”
