His Story
A Former National Team Athlete and Paralympic Marathon Silver Medalist, Kelly Smith has a unique ability to motivate and inspire others. Though he admits to being "just an average person," he is a proponent of extreme living and his life exemplifies how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things with confidence, hard work and a positive outlook.
An avid outdoorsman, Kelly Smith was a promising member of the Canadian National Speed Skiing Team, as well as a commercial pilot and instructor. He also pursued other activities in his spare time, including rock climbing. In 1991, he sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of a rock climbing accident. This became a defining moment in his life and forced him to reassess everything precious to him, including his athletic and career goals.
Finding his life on an entirely new path, Smith quickly realized that his attitude -- and not his injury -- would determine his quality of life experience. His passions for sport and aviation undeterred, he chose to become an air traffic controller, and resolved to become the best he could possibly be in the sport of wheelchair racing.
With an initial goal to qualify for the Canadian Olympic Team for the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Smith has, nearly ten years later, not only his participation in two Summer Paralympics of which to be proud, but also a number of Canadian wheelchair racing records, several wheelchair marathon victories and a Paralympics silver medal. Although modest about his achievements, Smith enjoys a well-deserved reputation among the world's elite wheelchair marathoners.
From his amazing journey, Smith has come to believe strongly that with success comes social responsibility. An active member of the British Columbia Wheelchair Sports Association, his platforms include promoting the benefits of active living, creating lifestyle opportunities for people with disabilities and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. Smith continues to work within his community to help break down perception and attitudinal barriers by sharing his inspiring message with others.