Interview on "Raising Awareness"
16 June 2016
Six years ago, an avalanche while snowboarding left Álvaro Bayona in a wheelchair, but that has not prevented him from continuing to practice sports such as skiing, surfing, wakeboarding, SUP, or kitesurfing, making him a unique case in our country.
Alvin says that “life is about attitude,” and he proves it with his ever-present smile and the look of a child who wants to keep playing at LIVING. Living happily, with energy, and to the fullest, “and whoever doesn’t want to take risks, let them stay playing Parcheesi.”
1. Did you immediately feel this desire to move forward after the accident?
Yes, exactly. I left the ICU already feeling upbeat because, coming from the world of extreme sports, you know things like this can happen. At the Guttmann rehabilitation center, they were surprised because I was always cracking jokes. The first month, when I was still on the bed, I had some weights and started exercising, so by the time I sat up in the chair, I was already agile. I started running through the hallways, decorated my room with posters and lucky charms… that was my attitude. If you're screwed, the faster you get used to it and accept that you're going to be screwed for the rest of your life, the better you'll enjoy it.
2. What does sport mean to you?
Sport is my life, and it was also my profession. So my options were either suicide or continuing to practice it. Then I started looking for a way to do what I loved, and I discovered that there was almost nothing adapted for people in wheelchairs.
Only skiing, but not surfing, water skiing, paddle surfing or wakeboarding, and since there is no one else who practices them here in Spain, I have had to be the one to adapt them.
"The sooner you accept that you're going to be screwed for the rest of your life, the better time you'll have."
3. And in some cases, such as paddle surfing or SUP, you have even gone so far as to patent the adaptation you created.
Exactly. Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is very popular worldwide, but there wasn't a chair that allowed a paraplegic to practice it. So what I did was attach my wakeboard chair to a paddleboard and shorten the paddle. It was revolutionary because it was a completely new invention.
I also took it to the Guttmann Clinic as a rehabilitation tool because it's excellent for improving balance and core muscle strength. The benefits are incredible, and it's much faster and more fun than going to a gym. I was tired of going there and seeing only long faces, and this, both in the pool and in the sea, gave the patients an amazing boost.
4. Is it easy to get wheelchair users who don't come from the world of sports to try these things?
No, no, it's unlikely they'd dare. To use a wheelchair, you have to be agile and very determined, because it's a very hard life. You're human, you can walk, and the world is made for that, not for wheelchairs.
5. What is the objective of the Alvin Bayona Foundation?
After my experience, I realized that in Spain there was a gap in terms of some adapted sports, and that I was the only one who practiced them, so I started to dedicate myself to showing it in different cities.
The thing is, to pay for these trips I need help, and the only way to raise money is through a foundation. I want everyone to be able to try these sports, and I want them to be able to do it for free, because everyone deserves a chance. The problem now is that in Spain, you need €30,000 to create a foundation, and although I know there are many companies that would like to donate, I won't be able to receive any donations until I establish the foundation. Once I do, whenever there's someone interested in practicing one of my sports, I'll be able to go and teach them.
“I want everyone to be able to try these sports because we all deserve a chance.”
6. Do you think your story can motivate people who are wheelchair-bound?
Of course, people would tell me, "Your life is picture-perfect," and I decided to give talks and share my experience because, even though I didn't have anyone to turn to, I know that people who have an accident like this need to hear stories that give them hope and options. If I, who was already familiar with these sports, find the experience incredible, those who haven't tried them before must be blown away. And I notice that there are people whose lives are changed by seeing my progress, and it brings smiles to their faces, and that's the best reward I could ask for.
The documentary Camí a Alaska by Gerard Molins tells the story of Alvin during the first months after the accident.
7. What challenges do you still have to overcome?
I have to go to Alaska. It's not a challenge, it's more of a dream. To go chair-skiing there and film some great videos. What I want with the documentary, the videos, and all the projects I do is for society to realize that there are also people in wheelchairs who really make a mess of things.
I'm not just some guy in a wheelchair; I'm a guy who plays sports and has energy, and I think my attitude has changed people's perceptions. In the six years since my accident, I believe I've made a difference in society wherever I've been.
Original article at: https://tomando-conciencia.org/articulos/alvin-bayona-mis-opciones-eran-suicidarme-o-seguir-practicando-deportes-extremos
Galería
Imágenes relacionadas
2 imágenes
