Dozens attend 'hero's' rally for Newmarket man with quadriplegia cycling across Canada for spinal cord injuries awareness

Former Toronto paramedic Kevin Mills suffered catastrophic injury in 2009

yorkregion.com
July 21, 2023

Dozens of residents, paramedics and firefighters gathered at Riverwalk Commons for a lunchtime hero’s welcome rally for Kevin Mills, a Newmarket resident with quadriplegia who is cycling across Canada to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries and to promote inclusivity of people with disabilities.

Mills, who is advocating for an accessible bike route across the country as part of his Pedaling Possibilities (pedalingpossibilites.ca) campaign, was also presented with a new cycle to replace one that was stolen from him as he and his team travelled through Quebec.

Before the rally, many of those at the rally crowded around Mills to wish him well, including a lineup of about 40 camp children who paraded by Mills to give him fist-bumps.

Moments before Mills took to the stage, he told yorkregion.com how the journey is going for him and his team, including his friend and trainer Nikki Davenport and personal support worker and RV driver Candice Wyns.

“It’s going well. Lots of challenges, but it seems to be moving along and we’re excited for the next part,” said Mills, who was a Toronto advanced-care paramedic when he suffered a catastrophic spinal injury in 2009 while swimming in the ocean in Cuba during a trip for his sister’s wedding.

Following his injury, Mills and his wife, Heather, launched a non-profit recovery centre called Walk It Off, promoting activity-based therapy.

Newmarket resident Peter Lohasz, whose stepdaughter, Rebecca Wheeler, is the lead osteopathist at Walk It Off, was the rally’s MC.

“To me, Pedalling Possibilities is not only about raising public awareness of the importance of accessibility to recreational activity for people of all abilities, it’s about inspiring others,” he said.

“The more people you reach on this venture through your conversations, interactions, and leadership, the more our thinking changes from ‘I can’t do that’ to ‘How can I overcome, how can I help, or what are the solutions?’ And, for this, we are collectively better. This is the power of Pedalling Possibilities.”

Paralympic basketball champions, Reg McClellan and Chantal Benoit, who are husband and wife, joined Mills on stage.

“Kevin, what you and your team are doing is remarkable” to promote accessibility and inclusivity, Benoit said.

Leo Tsang, Toronto’s deputy chief of paramedic services and Mills’ former boss, and Chris Spearen, York Region’s chief of paramedic services, who started his career working with Mills, both spoke of Mills’ work ethic, dedication to service to others and sense of humour and adventure.

Mills represents the best in the community, said Mayor John Taylor, who presented Mills with the symbolic key to the town.

“Kevin, you’re providing an example to people with disabilities, especially young people with disabilities, about everything you can do in life,” he said.

“You can set high goals, you can achieve things, you can support others in the community and you can knock those barriers down or those perceived barriers by just doing it.”

Coun. Bob Kwapis called Mills Newmarket’s “hero” and an inspiration to the community.

Mills called the rally amazing and said he is touched by the community’s and Canadians’ support.