Hudson Teen Handcycles East Coast To Raise Adaptive Sports Awareness

HUDSON, MA (CBS) – Owen Anketell is a firm believer that there are no limitations in life.

“I may be disabled, but it’s not going to stop me from doing anything that you can do or that someone else can do,” he told WBZ-TV.

Both Owen and his younger brother Logan were born with a rare disease called Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP).

“The muscles in my legs aren’t strong enough to support my body. They’re so small and brittle and they can break pretty easy,” Owen said.

Though he can’t walk on his own, that has not stopped him from doing the things he loves – especially when it comes to sports.

“I play tennis for my high school, I cycle, I ski, I water ski, I play basketball,” Owen said.

If that’s not enough, the 17-year old Hudson High School senior just completed Owen’s Ride, a challenge and mission he came up with himself.

He raised $50,000 then handcycled from Maine all the way to Florida.

“I was on the road for 65 days, and I biked 49 days this summer for a total of 2,365 miles, just trying to get out there and spread awareness for adaptive sports,” Owen said.

Adaptive Sports Awareness is a non-profit he started a few years ago for people with disabilities.

“Just try and go out there and play as many sports and do as many cool things as you can, just trying to keep up and do the exact same things that able bodied people can do,” Owen said.

His mother says Owen is very competitive but has a heart for others going through difficult times.

“I think it just kind of clicked in him that he wanted to do something to raise the awareness that there’s stuff out there everyone can do,” Peggy Anketell told WBZ.

Owen hopes Adaptive Sports Awareness will inspire others to dream big.

“I was thinking about the whole ride, just trying to think of what I can change for one person’s life. Like this story, if I could change one person’s life, I’d be so happy with that,” he said.