Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Dexterity of body and mind

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published September 13, 2006

As Terri Kacie watched members of her teenage Girl Scout Troop rappel down a wall at the Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville, she had a singular thought.

"I was just sitting there going, 'I think I can do that,' " said Terri, 48, a longtime Pinellas Park resident.

It's not an uncommon notion for folks who see people rappel down a wall, but it is uncommon for someone who uses a wheelchair.

Nevertheless, Terri and her husband, Richard, a civil engineer, decided to explore the possibilities. Working with a friend who's a climbing instructor, they figured out a way to attach the necessary ropes and equipment to Terri's wheelchair.

Although Terri had to determine how to steady the chair so she wouldn't flip, she made it down the wall. Now it was time for the real test: a cliff at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

The troop made the trip and watched in amazement as Terri made her way down. At one point, she slammed into the wall, but Richard said the beauty of Terri's successful descent was that it helped the girls realize they could do it too.

"If you ever want to see a whole group of teenage girls be absolutely silent, just rappel a wheelchair down a cliff," Terri said with a laugh.

Terri's rappelling adventure may prove inspiring to more than just the girls in her troop. Beginning early next year, 50-million McDonald's customers will see photos of Terri and 24 other people from around the world on the fast-food company's packaging. The restaurant picked its "stars" from among 13,000 entries in its inaugural "Global Casting Call," which drew contestants from more than 100 nations.

There is a skydiver from Spain, a swing dancer from Australia, a cellist from South Korea, a street luger from Ohio and a Frenchman who hopes to be the first to fly a pedal-operated dirigible balloon over the English Channel.

Needless to say, Terri is the only winner rappelling in a wheelchair, but her goal was about more than accompanying someone's Big Mac.

"I wanted people with disabilities to see they can do anything they can put their minds to," Terri said. "You just have to find a different way to do it."

Terri says she didn't expect to win, so the last two months have been quite a whirlwind. McDonald's flew the winners and a guest to London last month for an all-expense paid trip. Terri and Richard got to celebrate an early wedding anniversary - today marks their 25th - by touring the city, seeing Mama Mia and attending various parties.

Oh, yeah, Terri also spent nearly an hour hanging upside down in her wheelchair while fashion photographer Nick Clements took her picture.

"It was very, very painful," Terri said.

A real kinship developed between her and her "castmates," she said. All the winners plan to stay in contact as their photos begin to appear on cups and bags in March.

Although this is the first time Terri, who has two grown sons, has been involved in an international campaign, it's not the first time she has worked with a major corporation. A former Miss Florida Wheelchair, Terri spent time as a spokeswoman for Ford's Mobility Motoring program, which helps disabled people pay for adaptive equipment.

There is more to Terri's active lifestyle than just pictures and poses. With an "I'll try anything" approach, she has flown an ultralight aircraft, soared on a zipline and accepted the challenges of whitewater rafting. And did we mention tennis, basketball, volleyball, bowling, canoeing and skiing on water and snow?

She suffers from three rare spinal cord diseases and has used a wheelchair since 1988, but paralysis hasn't dented her motivation.

"When I first became disabled, my mom told me I had two choices: I could feel sorry for myself and watch my life go by, or I could get out there and do everything that everybody else does," she said.

When you assess her list of accomplishments in the face of her disability, you quickly conclude Terri is remarkable. But as her husband Richard notes, she was special long before she lost her ability to walk.

That's all I'm saying.

Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or hooper@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 13, 2006, 06:00:01]