Delmon Dunston

On July 14, 2000, Delmon Dunston was practicing wrestling moves with a friend, performing a double leg take down when his head hit his grappling partner’s hip. The force from the move shattered his sixth vertebrae in his neck. After the accident, Del was rushed to Loma Linda University Medical Center where doctors discovered that he not only shattered his vertebrae but injured his spinal cord as well. As a result of the injuries sustained, Del was paralyzed from the chest down. For two years after the accident Del tried to piece his life back together. Then in August 2003, Del was asked by a friend to attend a wheelchair rugby demo. Seeing all of the people who had suffered similar injuries, competing again, inspired Del. Rugby became the spark that was needed to reignite his competitive fire. Del wasted no time, with the help of the accessible gym equipment provided by the PossAbilities program at the Drayson Center. He turned those long discouraging days into training sessions. "It was like I was given a purpose again, not only to better myself but inspire others who are trying to find their way as a newly disabled individual". Since then, Del not only does peer support at LLUMC, he has gone on to become a spokesmodel for internationally renowned fashion designer Kenneth Cole. He has competed on the USQRA National Team, played on the D II National Championship team, managed the Crown Rugby team, and was invited to try out for the United States Olympic team in 2005, 2006 and 2007. His future goals are to compete in triathlons, make the World Champion Rugby Team in 2010, compete in the 2012 US Paralympic games in London, and continue as an advocate for PossAbilities on their Speaker's Bureau.

Check out Del’s Kenneth Cole video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7prsR7lZeO8

To book Del for a speaking engagement Contact Us.