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Rick Hansen

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Philanthropist

The Resume

    (August 26, 1957- )
    Born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
    Paraplegic wheelchair athlete
    Canada’s Disabled Athlete of the Year (1979, 1980, 1982)
    Paralympic Games medalist, Athletics (three at Arnhem, 1980; three at Stoke Mandeville, 1984; three gold, two silver, one bronze)
    1987 Companion of the Order of Canada
    Creator of the Man in Motion world tour (March 21, 1985–May 22, 1987, 34 countries)
    2006 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame inductee
    2007 Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee

Why he might be annoying:

    His middle name? Marvin (not so unusual for the time, though).
    The family – him being the oldest of four – moved throughout British Columbia during their youth.
    As a teenager hitching a ride from a fishing trip with a friend, he sustained a spinal cord injury in a pickup truck incident with a drunk driver.
    In addition to his autobiography – where he talked at length of unheard-of wheelchair access within the town limits – he co-authored a ‘self-help’ book.
    He has no fewer than a dozen total honorary doctorates.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Roughly a year after his injury, he would return to playing sports.
    He regarded the Marathon of Hope, created by close friend Terry Fox, as the inspiration for his own 44,000+ km (more than 27,000 mi) world tour.
    His signature handle ultimately inspired the lyrics to the title song commissioned for the ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ soundtrack.
    He had a hand in carrying the torches for the 1988 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
    Through sales of ‘Tale of the Great White Fish,’ he is active in the restoration and protection of sturgeon and salmon populations throughout British Columbia.

Credit: Cool It All Right?


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 138 Votes: 42.03% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying