Caleb Wilson

Help Caleb score a Bowhead Reach off-road handcycle so he can explore nature without limits! This is a a tax deductible fundraiser and in 2026 you can lower your taxes even if you take the standard deduction (learn more)

Caleb Wilson was injured in a snowboarding accident while enjoying a normal day with his father just before Christmas in 2022. At only 26 years old, Caleb was permanently paralyzed and spent Christmas at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital in Reno.

He spent the following month in rehab learning how to navigate the world without the use of his legs. His spinal cord injury left him with a long list of medical challenges—from severe muscle spasms requiring high doses of baclofen and eventually an implanted baclofen pump, to recurring infections that have sent him back to the emergency room over and over again. While the loss of mobility and the ability to do physically demanding work are the most visible consequences (Caleb was a welder, often working 60+ hours building train cabins), spinal cord injuries come with many hidden complications that can leave people stuck in depression and hard-to-escape mental and emotional lows.

Caleb never gave up. Despite the setbacks, he remained determined to take on life and adapt to his new reality. Within a month of leaving the hospital, he learned to drive using hand controls. After unsuccessful attempts to find a new role at his former company, he decided to pursue a career in jewelry making. When the nearest school he could attend had multiple steps at the entrance and historic landmark status that prevented permanent ADA modifications, Caleb welded a portable ramp himself—one the school would bring out whenever he attended classes. Each time life threw another curveball, including more emergency room visits, Caleb bounced back and kept moving forward.

One major turning point in his recovery came through the opportunity to visit Neuroworx in Utah as a recipient of a Franklin Project Grant from NorCal SCI. There, Caleb discovered adaptive mountain biking—a sport he instantly fell in love with and continues to pursue whenever he can.

Eventually, Caleb found the Bowhead Reach, one of the most capable adaptive off-road handcycles in the world. It allows riders with paralysis to carve mountain trails at speeds comparable to able-bodied cyclists and showed Caleb what life could look like with the right equipment. Unfortunately, it also comes with a $23,500 price tag—one he has been working toward for nearly two years.

He has applied for multiple grants and has already raised $4,000 from the Kelly Brush Foundation. He joined the Get1Help2 program through Able Bodied and also applied for the Challenged Athlete Grant , High Fives and Victoria’s Victory. He is getting close—but he still needs your help to make this dream a reality.

Thank you for taking the time to read Caleb’s story and for helping provide him with a tool that offers freedom, mental relief when life gets overwhelming, and the chance to explore the outdoors he loves.

All donations are tax-deductible and will be used exclusively for medical-related expenses. Caleb has partnered with Help Hope Live, a nonprofit organization that specializes in fundraising for individuals facing catastrophic illness or injury. Your generosity can provide Caleb with real, life-changing support.