A Wheel Chair in the Outdoors
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.08.17
We are all blessed by the Creator to enjoy the outdoors, but sadly, many of us take that for granted. One young man, Billy Daw, isn’t able to fish and hunt the same way as you or me, but that doesn’t stop him.
Billy (below) has been paralyzed from the waist down since birth, suffering from spina bifida and hydrocephalus, which is fluid on the brain. However, Billy enjoys the outdoors like none other.
His mother was told that Billy wouldn’t live to be 13, but he’s now 26 and doing quite well for himself. Billy pushes through so that he can get out hunting and fishing. He is so passionate about the outdoors that he’s started his own company named Wheel Chair Outdoors (WCO).
I had an awesome conversation with Billy asking him about his first deer hunt and how he got started with WCO.
“It was a cool morning,” Billy recalled, “we got in kinda early, got the blind set up, and we got situated. We sat there for a few hours watching the critters of the woods come to life. I kept seeing deer at a distance, too far to shoot. I couldn’t help but feel so blessed to be out in God’s creation. Then it happened: A deer walked out that I could shoot. I raised my gun, got him in my scope, took a few short, deep breathes, and BANG, my gun went off before I even knew what happened. I looked in my scope and saw him lying there. I couldn’t help but to thank God for what he gave me that day.
“There is not a better experience than hunting your first deer, and I found that out that day! Right after I killed my first deer, I served as a guest on a hunting podcast with Big Buck Registry and talked about my first hunt. I told them my story and how it all went down. After the show, they said, ‘You know what? You should start your own outdoor page called Wheel Chair Outdoors. Can you imagine how many people you can reach out to and inspire?’ I told them that sounds like a great idea, and ever since that say, my life has changed forever.
“I love talking with people from all over the world while doing what I love, and that’s hunting and fishing. Since that day, my Wheel Chair Outdoors Facebook page has taken off!! In just 3 years, I’ve got 32k fans and counting. It goes to show with God ALL things are possible.”
Billy started WCO because he wanted to inspire and educate others that just because life has given you a bad hand, or just because something doesn’t go your way in life, you should never give up. You should always chase the outdoors no matter what. Billy wants to show people that just because you have a disability, you can still get outdoors and enjoy it.
Author’s note: I had the pleasure of talking to Billy on my TV show “The Outdoor Experience” on Hunt Channel and Gen7 Outdoors. Click here to check it out!
