Sam’s Second Chance: How Adaptive Sports Helped Sam Rebuild His Life
Just a few years ago, Sam Shivers found himself in a place he never expected to be. A sudden spinal cord disorder left him paralyzed from the chest down. One moment, he was an active U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent and Air National Guard maintenance officer. The next, he was facing life in a wheelchair, spending more than five months in the hospital trying to figure out what came next.
“I thought I had lost everything,” he says. “My independence, my purpose… even my hope.”
That began to change when Sam discovered Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports. As part of his rehab, he was introduced to hand cycling. At first, he struggled—a ride along the paved and relatively straight path of the Rillito River trail left him needing help to get up even the smallest hills. But with patience and determination, he kept going, moving over the next 10 months from a basic three-speed cycle to a seven-speed, and eventually to sleek performance 21-speed hand cycle! Today, Sam has trained more than 350 miles and is preparing to ride 32 miles in the El Tour de Tucson.
But that’s only part of the story.
With Team Access and SAAS behind him, Sam didn’t just find a sport—he found a community. He joined the Lobos wheelchair basketball team and now travels to play in tournaments. He also became a coach in air rifle and pistol shooting, mentoring other disabled athletes and veterans. “It gave me something to look forward to again,” he says.
What keeps him going isn’t just the exercise or competition—it’s the people. “We lift each other up. You see someone show up in a different body, facing tough stuff, but they’re laughing, giving it their all. It reminds you that you’re not alone. And that’s everything.”
For Sam, adaptive sports gave him far more than fitness—it gave him his life back. And it is partnerships with organizations like Team Access that make stories like his possible.
Accessibility happens through working together to ensure EVERYONE has the opportunity to participate. Join us – whether it’s as an athlete, supporter, volunteer or donor, we want you on Team Access!
Related News
Billie Holbrook: Still Rolling Strong
Team Access and AXIS Partner to Bringing Access to Center Stage
