Ty’s heart and soul is his family’s ranch, with a dream of taking it over from his parents one day. For the first sixteen years of his life, Ty was free to roam the ranch. He would help with chores, care for the animals, herd cattle, and spend his free time participating in horse riding competitions or hunting close by with his friends. Ty was all set to attend a nearby college in the Fall, earning a scholarship to be on the rodeo team. He never imagined that a fall from a bronc during a competition in 2022 would result in a life-changing spinal cord injury.
Since his accident, Ty now depends on a power chair which creates many barriers for him to move freely around the ranch and barn. For the past two years, Ty has felt unmotivated as he was not able to move around as freely as he wanted to. Ty dreamed of having an easier way to get around and help on the ranch, and Shine knew exactly how to customize a Dream that would provide Ty the freedom he craved.
Shine worked with the Zack and Cambry Nelson Foundation to provide Ty with a customized "NOT A Wheelchair rig", which can handle any rough terrain and get Ty from place to place on the ranch faster than before. With the newfound accessibility of the ranch exceeding his expectations, Ty feels like he is contributing and sees a future on the ranch, without feeling discouraged by his abilities.
Ty is now on his rig every day. The impact it has on his accessibility and independence is significant, being able to go where he wants on the ranch in any season on any different types of terrain, without needing to plan for anyone’s help in advance. The rig helps him to get back to doing what he loves, including ice fishing in the winter and backwoods hunting in the summer with friends.
Ty’s outlook now shines bright with his dream of owning his family’s ranch, He’s also currently studying to become an auctioneer, and picked up a job at a Western shop. With plans back on track for Ty, navigation has gone from a barrier to a strength that will continue to benefit Ty in his future.
