‘Man in Motion’ to tour N.Z. in his wheelchair

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 17

‘Man in Motion’ to tour N.Z. in his wheelchair

Mr Rick Hansen, the paraplegic who inspired the hit song, “St Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion),” will tour New Zealand in January. Mr Hansen’s wheelchair tour through New Zealand is part of a 40,000 km circumnavigation of the world. He is making the 19-month trip to show the potential of the disabled and to raise money for spinal chord research and rehabilitation. John Parr was inspired to write the “Man in Motion” hit after hearing of Mr Hansen’s story from the music supervisor for the “St Elmo’s Fire” film, David Foster. Mr Foster tried to describe to Mr Parr how characters in the film had changed, adjusting to life’s circumstances as time passed. To clarify his explanation he told Mr Parr a real-life story about a friend of his — Mr Hansen. Mr Hansen had been a keen athlete but was paralysed in both legs after a car accident when he was

15. After his recovery, Mr Hansen began coaching, using his wheelchair in sports, and set his sights on a degree in physical education.

He has won various international awards as well as competing in and winning marathons and other track events, including the demonstration 1500 m race at the Los Angeles Olympics. Although commissioned to write a song for the film, Mr Parr wrote it about Mr Hansen. The completed song was not about the forthcoming film'but Columbia Pictures and Mr Foster thought the song was so strong it should still be the theme. Mr Hansen set out from Vancouver on March 21 this year and hopes to return in time for the World’s Fair in 1986. His route takes him through the United States, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, and the Far East before his return to Canada in October, 1986.

He will average 113 km a day. With one rest day in every four, Mr Hansen hopes to complete his trip in 355 “wheeling days.” The New Zealand section of Mr Hansen’s journey will begin in Auckland on Saturday, January 4, and end in Dunedin on January 22. He will be in Christchurch on January 18 and 19. After leaving Dunedin he will fly from Christchurch to Australia. The New Zealand Paraplegic and Physically Dis-

abled Federation is assisting with the New Zealand section of the tour. It will also be organising fund-rais-ing to coincide with each stage of the journey through New Zealand. The federation’s executive director, Mr Jim McKie, said that the money raised in New Zealand would be shared equally between an international trust for research into the treatment of spinal disability and the New Zealand Paraplegic Federation.