For Michael Martinez, a lifelong mountain biker from Salt Lake City, the joy of cycling seemed lost three years ago when a stroke left him paralyzed on one side of his body. “I thought my mountain biking days were over,” Martinez recalls. “The stroke left me thinking I was done for good.”
However, hope arrived in the form of Wasatch Adaptive Sports, a nonprofit dedicated to making recreation accessible for individuals with disabilities. Established in 1977, this organization offers specialized instructors, lessons, and adaptive technology designed to accommodate a range of physical challenges.
After his rehabilitation, Martinez was introduced to Wasatch Adaptive Sports. “When they reached out, I was skeptical,” he admits. “But by September or October after my stroke, they had me back on a mountain bike.”
Today, Martinez participates in the nonprofit’s weekly cycling lessons at Liberty Park. These sessions, held from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m., run from July 11 through August 29, providing an hour and a half of cycling instruction.
Wasatch Adaptive Sports operates with significant reliance on donations, and communication manager Don Webber notes that 97% of the organization’s participants receive scholarships. “We aim to remove barriers to recreation for those with permanent disabilities here in Utah,” Webber explains. “Recreation offers tremendous benefits—socially and physically. Our goal is to foster a sense of community, and we’re proud to do so every Tuesday at Liberty Park.”
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