Rick Hansen

Rick Hansen's Biography

Rick Hansen epitomizes “determination”. In the summer of 1973, Rick was a free-spirited, athletic fifteen year old who had a life altering automobile crash that left him a paraplegic. Although he could no longer walk, Rick could dream and he became a world-class athlete, winning 19 international wheelchair marathons, including three world championships and competed for Canada in the 1984 Olympic Games.
In the spring of 1985, he embarked on a bigger dream and wheeled the circumference of the earth to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury. Two years and 40,000km later, Rick and his team returned to Vancouver, B.C., having raised over $26M.
Today, Rick Hansen is President and CEO of the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation. The Foundation is committed to improving the lives of people with a spinal cord injury and to date the Foundation has made a financial impact of over $158 million towards spinal cord injury programs and initiatives in Canada.
In 2003 the Foundation launched Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion, an annual event held in communities across Canada to raise awareness and funds to improve the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury. Since the inception of this program over $3.6 million has been raised. Click here to find out how you can help make a difference in your community through Wheels In Motion!
As an inspiring speaker, Rick Hansen is in demand by many organizations to share his remarkable story and to inspire others to make a difference. He spends time in schools, committed to being a positive role model to children, and has co-authored two books: Rick Hansen - Man In Motion and Going the Distance: Seven Steps to Personal Change. Among his many community commitments, Rick serves on a number of Boards and, still passionate about fishing and the environment, is currently Chair of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society and the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society.