A Riding On Friends’ Back, Wheelchair-Bound Man Sets Out On A Backpacking Trip To Europe

Source: wecarrykevan | Image Courtesy: wecarrykevan | Kevan Chandler  | Tom Troyer

“Good friends are hard to find, hard to leave, and impossible to forget.”

This story shows having support of your friends is the best thing that you can have in your life.

Kevan Chandler has been living his life on a wheelchair for several years now. Suffering from muscular dystrophy from birth — a condition marked by progressive weakening of muscles — his body doesn’t allow him to make much physical movements, but it his friends support has helped him satisfy wanderer spirit in him. Kevan, with the help of his friend, has set out on a backpack trip through Europe, as a backpack.

It might just sound surprising, but this is not their maiden exploration. Four of his friends had taken turns earlier to carry him when they went to explore the sewers at Greensboro. To ensure that he and his friends have a comfortable journey, Kevan has his personalised seat with additional padding, a backrest and a saddle.

Weighing just around 30 kgs, Kevan hopes his friends will be able to carry him through France, England and Ireland. He also wishes to explore destinations like monasteries and catacombs, which will be a challenging task for him.

Kevan views this journey as a true testimonial to their friendship and he wants to share his story with the entire world. His friends — Ben Duvall, Philip Keller, Tom Troyer and Luke Thompson are equally excited about the trip and are working on increasing their stamina so that they can carry Kevan throughout the trip which will take place from June 19 to July 8.

The Logical Indian wishes best of luck to Kevan for his exploration ahead at the same time applauds his four friends for helping Kevan to fulfill his desire to explore the world. We hope everyone gets friends like Kevin have.