Paraplegic Man Challenges Himself to Carry Wheelchair Upstairs Every Day After Gym Elevator Breaks

The elevator at Iunre Smart Jr’s gym in New Britain, Connecticut, has been out of order, but that has not stopped Smart, a wheelchair user, from getting his workouts in.

“They thought it was a joke! My gym has an elevator that doesn’t work so I walked up the stairs one day to use different equipment and it became a daily thing,” Smart wrote in the caption of the video, originally uploaded to his Facebook page on December 2.

Smart, a 29-year-old paraplegic fitness enthusiast, told Storyful he began using a wheelchair after a dirt bike accident in April 2017.

“I was told I’d never walk, feel or move a muscle from my chest down again,” he said. “I’ve smiled through it genuinely and made a living helping others with my willpower and consistent love for the process that it takes to be happy every day.”

Smart explained in the description of the video that he dared himself to carry his wheelchair because he felt it was not “cool” to have someone help him every time he went upstairs.

He told Storyful the photos and videos he posts are to help people who may be going through a tough time themselves.

“If I can save just one person with one of my videos or stories, then I’ve won at this thing we call life.” Credit: Iunre Smart Jr via Storyful