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Rick Hansen is the Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation and a passionate supporter of people with disabilities in Canada. Rick is best known as the “Man In Motion” for his epic 26-month, 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair trip around the world to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and to find a cure for paralysis.

Since the end of the Man In Motion World Tour in 1987, Rick has dedicated his life to creating a world that is accessible and inclusive for all by removing barriers for people with disabilities through the Rick Hansen Foundation. Rick and his team at the Foundation are dedicated to raising awareness, changing attitudes, helping create accessible spaces, and liberating the amazing potential of people with disabilities.

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Learn about his personal story, explore the Man In Motion Word Tour archive, find out about his special awards and honours, and discover his inspiration and motivation to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and find a cure for paralysis.

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On the way home from a fishing trip, Rick and his friend Don Alder are in a car accident and are thrown from the back of a pickup truck. Rick injures his spinal cord and is paralyzed from the waist down, ever sync then rick had to adapt his life to a wheel chair playing wheelchair sports, encouraged by his volleyball coach Bob Redford. He also recruited Terry Fox to join the Vancouver Cable Cars to play on their wheelchair basketball team, and they became good friends.

On March 21, 1985 Rick and his team left Vancouver to embark on the Man In Motion World Tour, a journey around the globe to prove the potential of people with disabilities and raise awareness for accessibility. Rick and his team complete the World Tour on May 22, 1987 and return to Vancouver. The Tour raised $26 million for SCI research, rehabilitation and sport.

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After a carefully phased 3-year process, Rick officially elevates from CEO to Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation. As Founder, Rick will focus his time where it has maximum impact including being an advocate for change, building external relationship and continuing to inspire and engage audiences through public appearances.

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Hansen is probably best known for his Man In Motion World Tour, which was inspired by Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope in 1980. From 21 March 1985 to 22 May 1987, Hansen wheeled his way over 40,072 kilometres in 34 countries (including Canada), wearing out 160 wheelchair tires and 94 gloves. Hansen’s goal was to encourage communities to become more accessible and inclusive, raise awareness for those with spinal cord injuries and challenge stereotypes faced by those with physical disabilities. On the tour, he raised more than $26 million for spinal cord research, rehabilitation and wheelchair sports.

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Surrounded by friends and mentors encouraging him to see that every person on earth has a right to dream big—and the potential to turn these dreams into real-life achievements—Hansen set out to change the narrative around people living with disabilities.

"We need every citizen to believe that they are champions and difference makers, with a responsibility to play small or large roles in making Canada and the world a better place."

In this one Rick uses "We" implying that us humans are stronger together it reflects and respects our diversity as human beings and implies that together we are stronger. "We" bring different points of views and perspectives that exceed individual talents manifested in isolation. "We" also implies a responsibility to help each other—to be collaborative and compassionate.

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SARAH FOX | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GILDA FURGIUELE

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Rick Hansen on why accessibility matters for people with disabilities

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How husband-and-wife school counsellors in Washington are teaching their students, and their kids, that even small actions can have big rewards.

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Rick talks of how his life changed one young man and his friends and family, helping them see him as more than just a kid with disabilities.

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Rick Hansen | Shaping Canada | Canadian Museum of History