Franklin Darnell Elam

Frank Elam is a 31-year-old veteran, father, and lifelong outdoorsman from Eupora, Mississippi. On June 30, 2018, while en route to deploy to Syria and Kuwait, Frank was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Though classified as a quadriplegic, Frank has regained mobility in his arms through sheer determination and now navigates life using a manual wheelchair.

Before his injury, Frank served as a U.S. Army infantryman and worked as a welder, carpenter, and tradesman. On his days off, he coached youth football, hunted, fished, and rode trails with friends. Life outdoors was who he was.

Today, he still does all of his favorite activities, like going into the woods and the pond behind his house with his son, coaching out on the football field, and working when he can, but it all come at a physical cost most people never see.

Time outdoors is tied to better physical conditioning, lower stress, and stronger mental health, and for someone managing the daily realities of paralysis, that connection to the outdoors isn’t a luxury, it’s often part of what keeps a person moving and healing, both literally and emotionally. For Frank, getting outside isn’t just about recreation. It’s about strength, clarity, and staying himself.

At the center of it all are the people Frank fights for every day, his 8-year-old son, Frank Jr., and his partner. Frank has never let his injury define what he’s capable of. What he’s asking for now is a Coyote, a 4WD power wheelchair built to keep pace with the fight and drive he’s already bringing. One that lets him walk his son to their favorite fishing hole, continuing coaching his son’s football team with improved mobility, join his partner on the trails and adventures they both love, and get back to work providing for his family.

A Coyote would do more than get Frank outdoors again, it would support his strength, his resilience, and his wellbeing, giving him the chance to keep showing up fully for his family and the life they’re building together.

If you know Frank, or simply believe a father and veteran deserves that chance, we invite you to support his campaign and share it with others.