Editor’s note: Hill Air Force Base celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month with a series of special events each year that culminate with a wheelchair basketball exhibition game between base leadership and the RTI-Wheelin’ Wildcats wheelchair basketball team. Regrettably, this year’s events were canceled out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19. Team Hill’s Special Observance Committee reached out to the team and asked a few of its players to share some of their thoughts about NDEAM.

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Me and my brother Ryan are natural sports players and outdoor enthusiasts.

We joined the Wheelin’ Wildcats wheelchair basketball team at different times. While Ryan is younger, he tends to have more finesse.

He has moved out of the area, though he always enjoys joining up to help the team win big when he’s back in town.

Ryan has a wife and five children in southern Utah. While I have twice the time with the team, I’m always yearning to improve.

Now 49 years old, I play various sports and pursue multiple hobbies.

I have participated in roughly 75 plus marathons with racing experience in Utah, Boston, New York, San Diego and Honolulu.

I’ve also tried, horseback riding, water skiing, tennis, softball and ice hockey among other things; however, my greatest passion is flying raptor birds and raising cockatiels, parakeets and others.

Though the pandemic has slowed things down a bit, there’s no room for sitting back.

Life may have setbacks, but you chase your dreams and rise above.