Another veteran with MS from anthrax vaccine--competing in Veterans Wheelchair Games

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Local vets to compete in games

28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games to be held in Omaha, Neb.

JOHN W. URSCH

Staff Writer

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Beavercreek resident Fry during state-level skiing competition

last winter.

GREENE COUNTY — Five Greene County residents are among the 26 disabled

veterans from Ohio scheduled to compete in the 28th National Veterans

Wheelchair Games Friday through Tuesday in Omaha, Nebraska. According

to organizers, the event has grown to become the largest annual

wheelchair sports event in the world.

Gearing up to go are Fry, 43, of Beavercreek, McCoppin,

32, of Fairborn, Dale Spiller, 46, of town, Tyler, 54,

of Spring Valley, and Philip Kearney, 52, of Xenia.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games, presented by the Department of

Veterans Affairs (VA) and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), are

open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports

competition due to spinal cord injuries, certain neurological

conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments. The VA Nebraska-

Western Nebraska Health Care System and the Great Plains Chapter of

the Paralyzed Veterans of America are hosting the 2008 Games,

according to information provided by event organizers.

At the games, veterans will compete in track and field, swimming,

basketball, weightlifting, softball, air guns, quad rugby, bowling,

table tennis, archery, hand-cycling, a motorized wheelchair rally,

wheelchair slalom, trapshooting, nine-ball and power soccer. Sled

hockey is an exhibition event this year.

“We are proud to present this outstanding rehabilitation event, a

therapeutic extension of the superior health care veterans receive in

our medical centers each day,” said Dr. B. Peake, Secretary of

Veterans Affairs. “Rehabilitation is crucial to living a full life

following an injury. I applaud all of the veterans participating as

they strive to achieve their goals during this week of athletic

competition.

“Biff” Fry, a former Air Force computer specialist competing

in his first national event, said his focus for the games centers

around “weapons-type” events — shot put, javelin, discuss, archery and

air rifle. Downhill skiing was his event of choice during last

winter’s state wheelchair games competition

Fry said he was medically required to retire in 2006 after 21 years of

service because he is one of the rare cases of people who acquired

Multiple Sclerosis from an anthrax vaccine he received before

deploying to Saudi Arabia in 2000.

“I really didn’t even know how (to start competing in wheelchair

sports,” he said. “Working with the VA hospital, they showed me

different things they had available. I like to ski. It keeps me going,

keeps you alive.”

Aside from the obvious benefits of spirited competition, the

opportunity to socialize with peers and peruse new mobility equipment

at vendor booths are major reasons for going to the national event,

Fry said.

“You don’t want to sit at the house and dwell,” he said.

Also the divorced father of two sons, 14 and 16, Fry said his example

shows his sons and the youth soccer team he coaches that saying

“can’t” is not acceptable.

Dale Spiller, who serves as the PVA representative for Dayton, said he

has watched the city’s wheelchair games team grow in recent years from

just himself to a current roster of 12 athletes, and the group is

always looking for new members.

A 14-year Air Force veteran who coordinated and controlled close air

support for ground forces during front-line combat in Desert Storm,

Spiller became paralyzed from the chest down after he fell from a tree

when a branch broke in 1996, he said.

Spiller said he was retrieving something from the tree while at home

on Shaw Air Force Base when the accident occurred.

Specializing in softball, the wheelchair games athlete said he also is

proud of his gold medals in various events.

“I’ve learned a lot (from other wheelchair athletes) and the overall

camaraderie of being with a bunch of military people again, it feels

like being in the military again … (Competing) took me out of my

comfort zone and made me explore different things,” he said.

Army veteran Philip Kearney said he started competing in wheelchair

sports three years ago and this is his third year going to nationals.

After joining the Army in the early 70s, Kearney periodically left the

service for his education and rejoined in 1983, he said, serving as a

heavy mortar operator in South Korea.

An accident during an exercise at the time resulted in neck and back

injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down, Kearney said.

“When I was in High School, I never threw javelin, or shot put or

discus,” he said. “I’m pretty good at it now.”

Kearney said he took gold in all three events during state-level

competition.