SCI Superstar: Dror Cohen

This former F-16 Israeli fighter pilot lived and breathed the real version of Top Gun, but instead of shunning the world for what he lost after his injury, he decided to prove to the world what he could still do instead.

From becoming the best Paralympian sailor in the world to becoming a decorated motorsport driver, Dror has transformed the idea of disability in Israel. And he’s reaching out to help others too. He helped found a charity helping Israelis access adaptive motorsports and is a motivational speaker.

A man who refuses to be denied all of life’s rewards, read on for Dror’s story of perseverance.

Why He’s Fearless

Growing up in Israel, Dror was obsessed with airplanes. The moment he was out of high school, he entered the Israeli army hoping he would be considered as an eventual fighter pilot, and a F-16 fighter pilot he became; a goal he was able to achieve by the time he was 24.

But his entire world came to a sudden halt when he was involved in a car accident that same year. Dror was riding in a car while traveling to another airbase with a driver who fell asleep while behind the wheel, rolling the car multiple times, with Dror leaving the scene with a T12 spinal cord injury.

The injury occurred in 1992 but what’s truly awesome about Dror is that he’s never given up. In the first year of his injury, Dror tried adaptive water skiing, racing, archery, handcycling, mountain climbing and many other sports.

And after two years, he helped found the Charity Challenge to help people with disabilities get involved in adapted motorsports. He also went on to complete the epic Paris-Dakar Rally Race across the Sahara in 2008; a 4,000 km race. He raced with Team Mission Possible Racing with Handicap.

Dror was really eager however to become a Paralympian and he chose sailing as his adaptive sport of choice since he could practice it in Israel all year. He went on to compete in sailing at the following Summer Paralympic games – Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London – and he won gold in Athens.

What’s Next?

After years of devoting his life post-injury to sports, Dror got married and and he and his wife went on to have twin girls. And he’s dabbled in other business ventures as well – real estate and product development – where he helped develop SoftWheel, a revolutionary wheel that expands or retracts depending on the terrain. 

Dror is one amazing survivor. If you’re looking for a human who epitomizes strength in multiple forms, Dror wins this gold medal as well. 

– Visit his official site: Drorqe.com