let's get social 40 leading your best life

nsm loves seeinG your enthusiasm about products & experiences. share your story with us today!

We love celebrating our clients’ new found mobility!

Our clients inspire us every day!

“My son is 5 years old and got his first stroller today. We had a great experience with your company and have peace of mind our child will be safe during all aspects in our outings.”

Connect WITH US

@NSMOBILITY Thank you to Amelia for sharing these photos of Olive with us along with these kind words about her ATP, Zach. “He's very good at telling us what will and won't be covered. He helps us figure out what to submit properly so there's no waiting on paperwork we haven't filled out correctly. He's a straight shooter. If it's not going to work for her, it won't fit, or he doesn't think we should do it yet, he's generally right. He never makes me feel like I'm wasting his time.”

We’re thankful we can help keep you moving!

@MOBILITYNSM

FACEBOOK.COM/NSMOBILITY “Thank you so much everyone for your help in making our wedding day as magical as possible! The weather was perfect and I had a great working chair and everything else just fell perfectly in place. ”

SRS (SMOOTH RIDE SUSPENSION)

STC (SMART TRACTION CONTROL)

ENHANCED 4-POLE MOTORS

The 4Front® 2: Now That’s Smooth!

IN A WORLD WITH HILLS AND TOUGH TERRAIN, WHEELCHAIR USERS NEED A CHAIR THAT CAN TACKLE OBSTACLES, PROVIDING A SMOOTH, STABLE RIDE.

If you have a condition that affects your mobility, consider the 4Front®2. This front-wheel drive chair has 4-pole motors, STC and SRS, delivering unmatched drive performance and ride quality. It’s also available in a heavy-duty configuration, with a 450-lb. weight capacity.

Learn more about 4Front 2 today!

quantumrehab.com/quantum-power-bases/4front-2.asp

we would like to thank quantum for sponsoring this article.

The Hearts of NSM Champions

Ethan Krueger loves the excitement of adaptive downhill mountain bike racing. The competition, the camaraderie of riders, the joy of taking on tough trails at high speeds—he loves it all. Krueger, who sustained a spinal cord injury on “a big jump gone wrong” while mountain biking in 2010, shifted to adaptive mountain biking after his injury. He is a certified adaptive mountain biking instructor, working with the Kootenay Adaptive Sports Association. Krueger also serves on the board of the organization. A professional adaptive mountain biker, Krueger has also played an active role in bringing the sport into the mainstream. Last year, the Dunbar Summer Series, a series of three races held in British Columbia across a week, added adaptive downhill mountain biking as a professional category.

ETHAN KRUEGER

REHAB EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA “It was a groundbreaking season for adaptive downhill mountain biking,” Krueger says. “We had our first downhill adaptive mountain biking race series sanctioned by the governing body, UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale).” In 2022, the entire British Columbia Racing Cup Circuit—which Krueger describes as a “breakthrough race season for entering international level competition”—will include adaptive downhill mountain biking as a professional category. Krueger, who’s excited to participate in races this summer, also celebrates the attention these advancements bring to the sport. For him, it’s all about making adaptive mountain biking more familiar and accessible to more people. “To see people who have been confined to pavement for years get onto the trails and take in the scenery and smell that earthy, pine smell, there’s nothing like it,” Krueger says. “There’s always a moment where they stop and take it all in because they never thought they’d be there. And that’s why it’s all worth it.”

“There’s always a moment where they stop and take it all in because they never thought they’d be there. And that’s why it’s all worth it.”

Once Wayne Leavitt found tennis, he never looked back.

“I like the challenge of tennis,” Leavitt says. “When you play singles, it’s you against the other person. You’re your own coach on the court, so I really enjoyed the challenge of competing and traveling around and meeting other people.” In November 2021, Leavitt was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to wheelchair tennis. Leavitt, who holds a record for playing in the U.S. Open National Wheelchair Championship for 25 consecutive years, is only the second wheelchair tennis player to receive the honor. The first was Randy Snow, who taught Leavitt how to play. “It was quite an honor to be inducted,” Leavitt says. “It was a neat experience. I ended up having 30 people—players, relatives, friends— come to watch me be inducted.”

While helping his dad with a backyard project in 1968, Leavitt fell 30 feet from a radio antenna, resulting in a T4 spinal cord injury and complete paraplegia. Less than a year later, he helped to start the first wheelchair basketball team in the Dallas area. As the program grew, Leavitt took on a number of roles, ranging from coach to sports director for the entire program. Later, after learning how to play wheelchair tennis, Leavitt played an instrumental role in developing the sport throughout the state, country and world. When the Paralympics came to Atlanta in 1996, he was selected to serve as the U.S. tennis team coach. Leavitt counts the experience among his life’s greatest honors. But greater still is the joy of playing a part in introducing so many athletes to adaptive sports, Leavitt says. “It’s always great to teach other people and take your knowledge and implant it into other people,” Leavitt says. “I had somebody teach me, so I’m paying it forward and teaching other people.”

WAYNE LEAVITT

REHAB TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST DALLAS, TEXAS We have always known our industry relies on teamwork: providers, clinicians, parents, manufacturers. But it took a pandemic to show just how resilient our team is. And it drew out the best in us. You put miles on the road, donned protective gear, pioneered telehealth models, all to deliver essential services and equipment for our clients, the people who depend on us, the people who make it all worthwhile. We’re proud to be

part of this team.

Leading Your Best Life

by amber rangel, as told to mandy crow

I’ve always been an active person. Before my accident, I was always in the water—water skiing, swimming, kayaking. In 2015, I was training in Wisconsin for a national barefoot water skiing competition when I fell and injured my spinal cord. I’m a C-5 quadriplegic, so I don’t have much hand function and I’m paralyzed from the triceps down. Living an active life became even more important to me after my accident. I got involved in DiveHeart, an adaptive scuba diving program, and I squeeze in outdoor adventures whenever I can. With each challenge, I’ve found that I learn a little more about myself. For me, staying active is about staying curious. Even if you try something and fail—it was still a unique experience just to try. Sometimes I wonder if I’m currently leading my best life or if it’s still to come. Personally, I believe that leading my best life involves staying healthy and being true to my body and mind. It means being open to experiencing new things—even if it makes me uncomfortable. Leading my best life means being aware of my surroundings and opening my eyes to other people and their needs as well.

Before my injury, my life was really fast, and I wasn’t that aware of myself or other people around me. So now, I can take a deeper breath and see it from a different perspective. I want to help others around me—to build others up, to climb the ladder while bringing other people with me. I’m currently a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Illinois. I’m majoring in applied health sciences with a focus in recreation/sports tourism. Although I’ve had the great opportunity to explore the outdoors after my accident—to scuba dive, bike and raft—it’s definitely not as "I’m convinced accessible as it was before my accident. I want to help people experience the outdoors. I want to that when each work with park districts and schools at the local of us can lead level and help close the gap that keeps people of all disabilities from getting outdoors. It’s our best lives, so important to our mental health, it’s better for all how we’re regarded in society and of us." how we engage with others. I want to make people with disabilities feel more comfortable at the park or the YMCA—because I’m convinced that when each of us can lead our best lives, it’s better for all of us. Follow Amber and her adventures on Instagram (@bamberies).

CALL YOUR LOCAL BRANCH TODAY!

nsm-seating.com/find-a-branch

EXPERT HELP ON THE GO.

With remote service, NSM can evaluate your equipment on the go, at home or across the country. All you need to do is contact us and we'll guide you through the rest.

We’re more than a mobility company. WE’RE A MOBILITY PARTNER.

MOBILITY

We understand what it takes to provide you with the freedom to have the lifestyle you deserve — one where you can go where you want, when you want.

It starts in the home. Ramps, stairlifts, and chairlifts are essential tools that restore your independence where you need it the most.

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICE

We embed it in everything we do. It's more than answering phones and fixing things — it's about being available and present when you need us.