I was born and raised in the Lake Norman area just north of Charlotte, NC. On December 28, 2002, I was driving home after spending Christmas vacation with my family when I fainted at the wheel and drove off an overpass. The impact crushed my vertebrae and severed my spinal cord at T-8.
A few days later, two men in wheelchairs rolled into my hospital room and began telling me about how I could still live a productive life in a wheelchair. As soon as I was healed enough, they got me involved in all kinds of adaptive sports such as hand cycling, wheelchair basketball, water skiing, adaptive golf, etc.
I have always loved the sport of basketball so wheelchair basketball was a perfect fit for me. After just a few years of playing, I was offered a full athletic scholarship to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Texas Arlington (UTA). I moved to Texas and played at the university for 3 years while earning an MBA and Master of Science in Market Research.
While in my final semester at UTA, I learned about Metroflex Gym that is located in the heart of Arlington, TX. I later learned that this is the home gym of 8 time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and current Olympia contenders Branch Warren and Johnny Jackson. I had always been a gym rat and kept a lean, shredded frame. After visiting Metroflex, founder Brian Dobson, felt I had potential as a wheelchair bodybuilder and set me up with trainer John Combs. I trained in the summer of 2010 alongside many of the bodybuilding worlds best. That is an experience I will never forget!
After my time at Metroflex, I started competing in 2011 and have been competing ever since. I’ve competed at least once every year for the past 12 years. I competed 7 times at NPC Wheelchair Nationals before finally winning my pro card in 2022. In March of 2023 I made my pro debut at the Arnold Classic. In 2023 I also competed at the Arnold Brazil, the Charlotte Cup and the Toronto Pro. A 4th place finish in Brazil and 2nd place finish in Toronto earned me enough points to qualify for the Olympia. I will be competing at the Olympia in November!
On December 28, 2002, I was driving home after spending Christmas vacation with my family when I fainted at the wheel and drove off an overpass. The impact crushed my vertebrae and severed my spinal cord at T-8.
A few days after my accident, two men in wheelchairs rolled into my hospital room and began telling me about how I could still live a productive life in a wheelchair. As soon as I was healed enough, they got me involved in all kinds of adaptive sports such as hand cycling, wheelchair basketball, water skiing, adaptive golf, etc. I had always been a gym rat, even before my accident. To get better at sports, I knew I would need to get stronger so I began spending more time in the gym.
While in my final semester at the University of Texas Arlington, I learned about Metroflex Gym that is located in the heart of Arlington, TX. I later learned that this is the home gym of 8 time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and current Olympia contenders Branch Warren and Johnny Jackson. I had always been a gym rat and kept a lean, shredded frame. After visiting Metroflex, founder Brian Dobson, felt I had potential as a wheelchair bodybuilder and set me up with trainer John Combs. I trained in the summer of 2010 alongside many of the bodybuilding world's best. That is an experience I will never forget and what ultimately inspired me to get into wheelchair bodybuilding!
After my experiences at Metroflex, I knew I would need to pick a show on the calendar and just commit to doing it. I started with the Victory in the Valley in 2011. I committed to that show back in the fall of 2010, then I began my preparation. I hired a trainer and diet coach who kept me working hard and focused on the prize. They were instrumental in teaching me what it takes to prepare for a show. Since then, I've used several coaches that have taught me their various approaches to training and dieting. I came into my last show looking my best yet!
I am motivated by meeting other competitors. One of my teammates from UTA became involved in wheelchair bodybuilding and after just a year of competing, he earned his pro card. He and I have similar disabilities so I that really motivated me to do the same.
Just get started and be as consistent as possible. I've has been told that it's a marathon, not a sprint. I have to be consistent with my training and diet over a long period of time to see the results. It takes a lot of discipline and patience. If my accident taught me anything, it is that life is short. We never know what might happen tomorrow. That is why we must make the most of today. Live life to the fullest each and every day!
• Amateur Contest History
2022 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2021 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2021 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 2nd Place
2019 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2018 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2017 NPC Jay Cutler Classic : 1st Place
2017 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2017 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 3rd Place
2016 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 1st Place
2016 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 2nd Place
2015 NPC Texas State Championships : 2nd Place
2015 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 2nd Place
2015 NPC Wheelchair Nationals : 3rd Place
2013 Steve Broadway Classic : 1st Place
2011 NPC Victory in the Valley Classic : 1st Place
• IFBB PRO Contest History
2023 Toronto Pro SuperShow : 2nd Place
