Coming Back from Paralysis

The Inspiring Story of Stephen Beard

You can’t help but notice the limping runner at the back of the pack, or the obvious effort Stephen Beard puts into each stride. But you would have to know the story behind this remarkable man to appreciate that his race is not one of speed but of courage and endurance.

A series of unfortunate events is what Stephen describes besieged him about four years ago. First, he awoke one morning to find he had suffered a stroke during the night. Medical attention came quickly. However, not yet fully recovered from the stroke’s debilitating effects, he would fall victim to a motor vehicle accident just a few months later, which left him with serious injuries to his head and feet. Faced with the possibility that he may never walk again, he slipped into a deep depression.

“To know that you left in this state and you don’t know what’s gonna happen, whether the outcome is gonna be that you will never walk again. I was depressed and now I’m back from that and that’s a bad place to be,” Stephen shares.

“I thought that walking would probably be pretty much impossible because I was in a wheelchair and I was on crutches. It was bad,” he recalls.

It was in this sad, dark place, lying on his back wondering if he should come to terms with a lifetime of paralysis, that Stephen got the audacious idea that he could run a marathon. As he recounts his experiences, he admits it was a sheer will to stay positive and overcome the physical challenges caused by his injuries that aided his recovery.

“I was lying down as paralyzed people do, looking at television and in tears, and on the television comes the Puerto Rico half marathon and I’m looking at these guys run this thing top speed and I thought you know that’s gonna be my dream from now on. I need to have a good dream.”

At first, the after effects from both the stroke and accident made it difficult for him to even walk without crutches. But little by little, lap by lap he began to run. Soon, he felt that he had gathered enough strength to participate in a race event.

“I was asked to do the college classic two miles and I remember the first time I walked and I struggled through the entire thing, and that has become a warm-up for me now. That was the first race I ever did. It wasn’t even a race; it was a race against myself. And a year later I felt strong enough to attempt the 5K which I did, and it was hard and I hurt,” he remembers.

But he stuck with it, and just a year later completed the 10k race. So last November, it came as no surprise to those who know him that he seized the chance to participate in the BVI Half Marathon; and though the spotlight was on the winners, it was perhaps Stephen who achieved the greatest accomplishment – coming back from paralysis to finishing the 13-mile race. He credits strong family support for helping him to overcome mental and physical obstacles to achieve his dream.

“My family has been great. I think they’ve tried to let me test my limitations and I’m proud of them for letting me do this. I know that the half marathon was pretty tough and I didn’t think that a lot of people thought that I could do it, probably including my parents but they’re very proud of me. They’re proud of all my accomplishments,” he adds.

Stephen still suffers physical challenges as a result of his injuries. There’s no movement below the ankle, and the stroke has left him unable to write. Still he is grateful for the little things, like being able to run every day, and the man who has learned not to take anything for granted has a very positive outlook on life.

“I just knew that I didn’t want to be in such a depressing place as I was before. I’ve always been high on life, everything’s good, everything’s fine, and now it’s even worse because I just have the lighter side of everything. I laugh at everything,” Stephen says.

The Trinidadian native, who enjoys sailing and cooking, has made Tortola his home for the past 30 years. With all that has happened in his life in the past few years, he has a few words of wisdom for persons who may be facing physical or other obstacles in their lives.

“I would tell them you never know when you’re going to get better but you are going to get better. As a West Indian you’re stronger than everybody thinks you are. Some days it might seem like you’re going backward, but just don’t give up… you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. An opportunity is going to present itself; you just have to see it coming. Take it, regardless of how afraid you might be. Things will work out for the best.”