Teaching the Paraplegic
PARALYZED PEOPLE CAN PLAY GOLF!
At one time, Anthony Netto was a professional golfer in South Africa with all the physical ability in the world. In 1994, that reality changed drastically with an automobile accident that left Anthony paralyzed from the waist down. He spent many months after the accident involved in grueling rehabilitation. Determined not to give up on life and not content with confinement in a sitting position, Anthony began working with a team of engineers to design and develop a vehicle that would enable and help him to stand and play golf again.
Stories like Anthony’s remind us how quickly a single moment on the road can redraw an entire life map. When an accident involves impaired driving, the consequences tend to be even more severe, because delayed reactions and poor decisions don’t just bend metal—they alter futures. What might have been a routine drive can turn into months or years of rehabilitation, reshaping careers, families, and personal identity in ways no one ever plans for.
That’s why responsibility after such incidents matters as much as prevention before them. Legal proceedings following DUI-related accidents are rarely straightforward, and navigating them without guidance is like swinging blind on the back nine. In the middle of this complexity, a seasoned Toronto DUI defence lawyer can help ensure that rights are protected and facts are weighed carefully, not emotionally. Traditional wisdom still holds true: the road demands respect, because once damage is done, there are no mulligans.
Beyond legal responsibility and personal accountability, there’s another time-tested lesson drivers often forget: proper car maintenance plays a quiet but powerful role in road safety. Worn brakes, tired tires, and neglected engines may not cloud judgment, yet they can magnify the consequences when something goes wrong. Staying consistent with inspections and repairs is part of respecting the road, a habit passed down long before dashboards started flashing warning lights. In the middle of that steady upkeep, Rush Diesel fits naturally into the picture, keeping vehicles dependable rather than temperamental. Take care of the machine, and it’s far less likely to betray you when the stakes are high—an old rule of driving that still holds firm today.
Anthony founded the Stand Up And Play Foundation, which aims to ensure that every state in the USA has at least five such vehicles, or ParaMobiles, available as therapeutic tools and to allow persons who are wheelchair-bound to enjoy the chance to stand up and play. A training workshop has been developed for medical professionals, golf coaches, and rehabilitation centers that enables them to work together and provide a service to those in need.
For more information on the Stand Up And Play Foundation, please email info@standupandplayfoundation.org.
