‘One Revolution’ Documentary Inspires All

posted on May 19 by Admin in the Advocacy, Disability News, Paralympics, Wheelchair Sports, Wheelchair Technology category

A documentary about Paralympian Chris Waddell being the first paraplegic to climb Mount Kilimanjaro almost entirely without assistance has received glowing reviews at film festivals. Winning Best Documentary at the Geneva Film Festival and Best Feature Documentary at the Memphis Film Festival, One Revolution follows Waddell climbing the highest mountain in Africa.

Always a fanatic about mountain sports, Waddell was a promising member of the ski team at Middlebury College. In 1988, a ski accident left Waddell paralyzed from the waist down at the age of 20. Waddell’s drive never faltered, however, and in only two years after his accident, he was a member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. Within 11 years of that, Waddell was the most decorated male skier in US Paralympic history.

September 2009 found Waddell on his highly publicized historic climb of Kilimanjaro. He explained the trek as furthering what he had already accomplished as an athlete, just in a little bit of a different arena. Armed with a custom built, all terrain wheelchair vehicle that uses 4 large wheels and allows him to steer with his chest while pedaling with his hands, Waddell made the journey of 19,340 feet in six and a half days. In addition to his climb being documented by the film crew for One Revolution, he was also closely followed by several prime time news programs like NBC Dateline and CBS Evening News. He was also featured as one of People Magazine‘s “50 Most Beautiful People.”

Waddell, who is a member of both the Paralympic Hall of Fame and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, has a motto: “It’s not what happens to you. It’s what you do with what happens to you.” Viewers leave the documentary inspired by Waddell’s optimism and drive highlighted in the film.

“The documentary is an important part of my climb, as my story is a visual one,” Waddell said on the website for the film. “People need to see to understand.” Waddell said he doesn’t want people to look at his story and simply see a disabled person who did something really heartwarming. Instead, he hopes the film will change the way people see themselves and others by finding a way to look beyond obvious differences.

“It’s important because it’s about you,” afirmed Waddell. “You can learn something from my journey.”

Source: http://universe.byu.edu/node/15785