Quadriplegic cyclist passes through Sault on ride for charity

An Alberta man is passing through the Sault on a cross-Canada cycling journey to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Marlin Wilson, a 57-year-old quadriplegic, began the trek from Crowsnest Pass, Alta. on Aug. 1. He has since been cycling upwards of 150 km daily on an e-bike, and aims to reach Halifax, NS by the end of September.

While the venture may seem daunting, Wilson has faced far tougher challenges, including a life-altering incident that occurred 14 years ago.

“I was exercising at my parents, and as I walked out their front door, I tripped over a lawn ornament,” he says. “I landed straight on my head and smashed my C2 vertebrae. It changed my life instantly.”

The accident damaged Wilson’s upper spine, leaving him with quadriplegia. He was bed-ridden for eight months with no guarantee of making a significant recovery.

“They were telling me I was never going to walk again,” he says. “But I always believed I could get up again.”

And he did.

14 years later, Wilson is now at the halfway point of his mission to cycle across the country after arriving to the Sault this week. That endeavour isn’t his top priority, however, as he hopes to raise greater awareness for a cause that’s personal to him.

“The children at Make-A-Wish are facing something they shouldn’t have to,” he says. “It’s tough enough to be a kid, but to have those issues – it hurts me. If I can help grant them a wish and make them smile for a day, and to let them forget what they have to face, how can I not contribute to something like that?”

The cyclist feels his venture is not only a choice, but a duty, and he encourages others who are capable of making a greater difference in other people’s lives to do so.

“I see life differently now,” he says. “It’s like a responsibility. I got a second chance, so I have to do something about it.”

Wilson says there have been moments along the way where he considered giving up the trek, but the inspiration of a late Canadian icon pushed him to keep going.

“When I got to Thunder Bay, I thought I was going to turn around – I was worn out,” he says.
“But when I saw the Terry Fox monument, it lifted me way up again.”

During his rest period in the Sault, Wilson has been staying with Jim Turnbull, a former president of the Kiwanis Club in Sault Ste. Marie.

Wilson typically sleeps in his tent along the ride, so he was incredibly appreciative of Turnbull for giving him a place to stay this week.

“It’s really amazing,” he says. “I only just met him, and we started talking. It’s just wonderful.”

While he still has three provinces worth of cycling ahead of him, the Albertan is already planning to make another journey across Canada next Spring.

“I don’t see any reason why I couldn’t do it again so far,” he says. “It’s really hard, but a lot of fun. I’ve been meeting really good people.”

To donate to Make-A-Wish, visit Wilson’s page here.