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A former model and dancer, Teri Thorson, a Canadian Paralympian, fashion designer, mother and speaker, is one of the toughest quadriplegics you’ll ever meet. She’s also not afraid to go deep and talk about how she was able to overcome her dark days post-injury. A font of advice, check out Teri Thorson’s story.
Why She’s Fearless
Injured in a car accident while on vacation in Australia with friends in 1997, the car she was in flipped three times. Teri woke up a C7 quad, and she quickly was told the seriousness of her injuries.
It took her some time to find herself. She worked hard in rehab to get as strong as possible. Also a former athlete, Teri wanted to get involved in adaptive sports, choosing wheelchair racing as her sport. She received her first racing chair in 2001.
She was also able to no longer need caregivers, becoming fully independent as a result of her sports training. She was in the Athens Paralympics in 2004 and made the 400 meter race finals. She unfortunately had to retire early in her racing career after a wrist injury. At her level, a wrist injury is hard to come back from.
Teri then moved onto her next goal in life – to become a fashion designer. This was a dream of hers pre-injury, and she was determined to make it a reality. In 2007, she launched Normal?, a clothing line for men and women with seated bodies. The line no longer exists, but Teri still works as a fashion consultant.
In 2009, her life changed again when she became a mother, having her son, Lucian, at home. Growing up fast, Teri is a proud mother.
What’s Next
Motivational speaking, on behalf of the Rick Hansen Wheels Foundation, as their ambassador, and professionally, is Teri’s main career focus. She speaks at schools in her British Columbia, openly talking about disability and how she and others are able to do everyday things in life. She was also a Peer Coordinator for the Canadian spinal cord injury nonprofit, SCI BC, for 4 years.
ideas@spinalpedia.com
