Max Woodbury, past and present. Left, Woodbury hiking in Vermont during his college years spent on the East Coast. One year after moving to Portland, OR in 1995 Max fell off of a scaffolding at work, breaking his neck and leaving him paralyzed.
Max Woodbury lowering himself off of his back porch at his home in Portland. His two story house is fitted with elevators and ramps, where Max lives with his wife and two children (and one more on the way).
Max spent three months in the Good Samaritan Hospital recovering from his accident. Most of the equipment in the weight room is made to accomodate wheelchairs, and several days a week Max is one of the only people to use it.
The task of preparation is wearisome. From tying shoes to changing wheelchairs, the process can be exhausting, though is ultimately worth the opportunity to be a part of the team.
In addition to staying physically active, being a part of the rugby team has been an invaluable asset to Max's mental recovery.
Muscle astrophy, the loss of muscle mass from being paralyzed, has left Max without most of the use of his triceps, abdominal and chest muscles in addition to limited use of his hands. He has been lifting regularly since his recovery to keep what muscle he has left strong and intact.
Paralympic athlete Ian Chan at a regular practice. The team usually practices twice a week throughout the year.
Portland Pounders; Quadriplegic Rugby TeamParalympic athlete William Groulx and a close up of his rugby wheelchair. The wheelchairs are modified to have a low center of gravity, greater maneuverability, and to be able to withstand hard hits from other players.
Most quadriplegics develop muscle astrophy in their triceps, chest, and abdominal muscles. All of the rugby players are considered at least partial quads, meaning that at least three limbs are impaired.
Ed Suhr, coach of the Portland Pounders quadriplegic rugby team. Suhr has been assistant coach to the national team several times, including team USA's gold medal win at the Paralympics in Beijing in 2008.
After diving off a boat in shallow water, Jason Holdahl, 34, spent 23 days in a drug induced coma and 4 months in the hospital recovering. 3 weeks after leaving the hospital Jason joined the rugby team, which has played a vital role in his physical and emotional recovery.
Jason in his home using a piece of equipment that braces him upright, allowing him to stand and stretch. According to Jason, "You know how it feels to sit in a car for a while. Now imagine that feeling for the rest of your life."
One year, 4 months has passed since Tim Vixay, 22, fractured his neck in three places while in the Marines. In March of 2009, Tim went in his powered wheelchair to watch the team practice and saw players with less ability than him being physically active in ways that he didn't think was possible for a quadriplegic. He has not used his powered wheelchair since.
