California teen says becoming disabled made his life better

From The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif.:

The moment Robert Sanchez (pictured left) ended up in a wheelchair, everything changed — for the better, he says.

“Before the accident, I was very shy and kind of mean,” said Sanchez, who prefers to go by the name “Hotwheels.”

“But now I'm really outgoing and lovable. I'm happy all the time. I really think it's made me a better person.”

On Feb. 13, Sanchez will be riding in his first Tour de Palm Springs, with neon-laced shoes on his feet and his purple-tipped hair blowing in the wind.

He's part of the Joy in Mobility team, which was created by the nonprofit Incight of Palm Desert.

Instead of a traditional bicycle, Sanchez will be on a handcycle — a three-wheeled contraption that rides low to the ground and is powered by arm movement. The cyclist's feet rest on slings that are situated on either side of the steerable front wheel.

Handcycling requires a lot of upper- body strength, and it can move every bit as fast as a traditional bike.

For someone with lower-body physical limitations, the experience is exhilarating.

“It feels like you're just gliding through the streets,” says Sanchez, who can easily zip through five miles without breaking a sweat. “It's more like flying than riding.”

His teammates call him a natural.

The 18-year-old Indio High School student lost the use of his legs in an accident more than two years ago.

He can't remember too many details about the incident — just that he stopped by a friend's house and was trying out a pocket motorcycle.

Sanchez doesn't recall hitting the light pole or landing in the hospital with a torn artery and a spinal cord injury.

“I've never minded being in a wheelchair, though,” he says. “That's just what happened, and that's how it is.”

Sanchez became affiliated with Incight when the group sought him out at his school. The nonprofit's goal is to help disabled young people find success in education, employment, networking and independence.

To date Incight has assisted more than 40 clients through direct support, counseling, job and life coaching and more. The Portland-based organization, co-founded by Coachella Valley native Vail Horton, has also provided more than 100 college scholarships to students with disabilities.

“A person's disability doesn't have anything to do with their physical limitations,” says Jim Rothblatt, who runs the Palm Desert office for Incight.

“Your disability might be that you're disorganized or a type-A personality. It's not about if you can use your arms or legs.”

Also on the tour
Pops Carter also will be riding with the Joy in Mobility team during the Tour de Palm Springs. The 68-year-old Desert Hot Springs resident lost his leg in August 2009, after a motorcycle accident.

After 50 years riding Harley-Davidsons, Carter says the handcycle “fits right in.”

“I'm still going,” he says. “I wouldn't let (the amputation) handicap me.”

Carter, who is a student assistance consultant for Desert Sands Unified School District, said losing his leg has helped him relate better to students of all abilities.

“I'm teaching kids to be positive, so I can't be negative,” he says.

They will be accompanied by a support team that includes College of the Desert students Johnathan Hernandez, Eduardo Macias and Zach McCormick.

“Helping other people really touches you,” McCormick says. “It feels good to help someone else.”

“It makes you realize how lucky you are,” Macias says.

The Joy in Mobility team also includes Rodrigo Cortes and Hector Ayon, two Indio High School students with disabilities employed through the Desert Sands Unified School District workability program.

Because the Tour de Palm Springs waived entry fees for handcycles, Rothblatt invited cyclists with various disabilities from all over the country to join in the fun.

So far they've heard from about 20 riders who will be traveling to the Coachella Valley for the event.

Almost certainly, Sanchez will be leading the pack — a blur of neon zipping through the streets of downtown Palm Springs.

“Before, I used to be a very black and white kind of person,” he says. “Now I live life in colors.”