CheckMate

I’ve always loved stories about people who’ve overcome great odds to succeed in life, in particular those people who haven’t let severe physical limitations hold them back. I recently ran into a tremendous new book along those lines that I don’t see getting a lot of press, so I wanted to let you know about it here.

Ascent is a new autobiography by Bruce McGhie, a 75-year-old quadriplegic who’s been paralyzed since he was 22, and yet has lived a remarkable life. After he graduated from Harvard in 1954, Bruce entered the Air Force, where in January 1955 he was severely injured on the obstacle course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He fell head first from a 40-foot tower, severely damaged his spinal cord, and was instantly paralyzed from the chest down with the exception of retaining very limited use of his hands.

In the ensuing 53 years, Bruce has gone on to do a great number of interesting things. For many years, he traveled the world as a financial public relations consultant, not only working but thriving in a tough business environment where someone in a wheelchair was rarely, if ever, to be found. In 1980, Bruce became the first quadriplegic to be licensed to fly a glider using hand controls and went on to enjoy many airborne adventures, including flying over the 14,000+ foot Grand Teton in Wyoming. He also has become a very accomplished photographer and artist, with his photographs of African wildlife being compared with those of the best professional photographers. Last but not least, Bruce and his wife of 52 years, Barbara, have raised two very successful grown children; their son John is a former Navy F/A-18 pilot who now flies for Southwest Airlines, their daughter Anne is the director of special education for a school district.

Difficult as all of that would’ve been at any time, it’s important to remember that most of it was done in a time before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), handicapped-accessible bathrooms, curb cuts, reserved parking spaces, and so on.

This video of Bruce flying will probably tell you all you want to know:

You can read more of his story in these articles:

Bruce McGhie: A Life Well-Lived

Soaring Beyond Any Boundary

There’s also a wonderful 30-minute interview with Faith Middleton available here:

Faith Middleton August 2007 Interview with Bruce McGhie

No doubt you know what I’m gonna tell you, and I’ve told myself the same thing many times: “Next time you think things are tough…”

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