by: Chuck Lemaster
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | 1:00 PM
Jesi Stracham is a familiar name to long-time GNCC fans. She came through the youth ranks and eventually entered the WXC ATV class, winning The Mountaineer Run GNCC in 2013! However, just over a year ago, Jesi was involved in a street bike accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Since then, she has made remarkable strides toward recovery and her “can-do” attitude has been contagious! She’s been on the Today Show and even made a GNCC comeback by participating in the ACE racing. GNCCRacing.com caught up with Jesi and asked about recovery and 2016 plans:
GNCCRacing.com: Hi Jesi! How are you today?
Jesi Stracham: I’m doing great! I just left therapy. I’m excited. I’ve started walking in a pool with weights on my ankles and I use leg braces on land, we got rid of the torso brace, which assisted in propelling my legs forward. My hips are finally strong enough that I don’t need it.
That’s awesome! It seems every time I talk to you, there is progress!
It’s slow, and it’s an enormous amount of work, but so worth the effort. I’m thankful to be where I am right now. I’ve had experimental procedures that weren’t possible just a couple years ago. My strength is getting there. My endurance still needs work. I can only do three laps in the pool, but I am seeing progress and am determined to keep working.
Based on your online updates, you stay busy with life outside of therapy! I don’t know how you have time for it all?
[laughs] Life is a gift and I’m determined to make the most of it! I’ve been able to do things that maybe I otherwise wouldn’t have made time for. I’ve been white water rafting, kayaking, done a zip line, some ropes courses and even went “wheelchair hiking!” It was a paved path through the woods and maybe not the same as walking, but I loved it. Recently, I’ve been to several AMSOIL Arenacross races. I live in North Carolina so I made it to Cincinnati, Baltimore and Greensboro. Austin Stroupe is from North Carolina and started campaigning the series this year, so it’s been fun to go support him and Tyler McSwain, too. It seems everywhere I go, I have the opportunity to share a little bit of my story and encourage people.
Just to bring our readers up-to-date, what is your story? Do you mind sharing a little bit about your accident?
Not at all! It was a beautiful, sunny January day last year; unseasonably warm, right around 65 degrees. My neighbor’s nephew asked if I wanted to go for a motorcycle ride. We’d done it before and it sounded like a good idea. We were riding toward downtown Charlotte and a woman did an illegal u-turn in front of us. With nowhere to go, we plowed into her. It was real bad. My friend was ejected and somehow landed without too many injuries. But I later found out that I died twice and they had to revive me. I had three broken vertebrae, a punctured lung and broken ribs. It was actually a rib that nicked my spinal cord and has caused the paralysis.
That’s such a tough thing to deal with.
You know, it’s actually an amazing story. I was at a really bad place in my life last January. A friend’s grandmother had just passed away. I went to the wake with him on Saturday, the day before the accident. Pastor David spoke about eternal life and accepting God’s gift of Jesus Christ. I accepted Jesus into my life that day and it changed me! I had no idea that the very next day, my life would physically change forever! And to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t change anything about the past year. I found my faith and it’s more important to me than anything else!
As the pastor of the series (Tuesday Toolboxes are done by Team Faith’s Chuck Lemaster, who also conducts the GNCC trackside services), I am thrilled to hear this!
There’s more to it. My mom said that when I woke up in the hospital, my first words were, “I saw Grandma Boyce. She told me it wasn’t my time yet and I couldn’t be there with her.” My grandma died when I was 6. So I really believe that there is purpose for my life here and I sincerely want to make the most of it.
Well there is no doubt that you are making an adventure out of it! What else are you up to?
I’m on my way home right now and there is a new wheelchair waiting for me! Ever since my accident, I’ve been wanting a box wheelchair and have tried saving money up for it. But there are so many expenses. And then Pixar Bio stepped up and covered the cost for this wheelchair! I’ve talked to Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham from Nitro Circus and asked him for advice for being in a wheelchair. He said I need to backflip! So now I have the right chair to do it and I’m headed to a skate park tomorrow!
Say what?! Aren’t you supposed to flip into a foam pit first?!
Not according to Wheelz. There are some things in life you just have to go for! I’m not saying I won’t be eating a lot of pavement, but I’m excited to go try new things. That’s kind of become my life’s mantra and I really want to inspire other people. Too many times, people let the bad things in life keep them down. Whether it’s divorce, a friend’s death, paralysis…whatever it is, we can’t let that dictate who we are. We only get one time around on this planet, so live what you love and try something new.
That’s a true statement! Good luck with the backflip. And good luck with Ms. Wheelchair, USA!
Yes, that’s another thing I’m privileged to be involved in. I’m representing the Great State of North Carolina in the pageant in July! The opportunity came up last year and I jumped on it. Again, it’s something new and I’ve been working on doing my best and raising awareness for the cause. And speaking of, I just inked a deal with Justified Culture Clothing. They are going to let me create my own line of clothing with proceeds going to spinal cord injury research. I finally get to give back! So many people have helped me this past year! I mentioned Pixar Bio a minute ago. I am really excited to be able to represent them, too. They are working on FDA approval for trials on a non-narcotic painkiller. So there are a lot of good things happening and I seem to be right in the middle of it!
Yes, I have to agree that there are some incredible opportunities that have come your way. I know you ultimately dream and plan on walking again. But talk about making lemonade out of lemons! You showed up at GNCC this past year and got to race again!
Before I was even out of the hospital, John Pellan with UTV Scene contacted me and asked if I’d like to try Single Seat UTV racing with the Polaris ACE? I was all for it, but my family asked, “Is that really a good idea?” We floated it past the doctor and of course, in typical fashion, he said, “I don’t recommend it, but can’t stop you” so it was on! Polaris had a video contest going in order to get an ACE, but as I worked with John, Polaris ended up pulling us from the challenge and just sponsoring us with an ACE. Racer Tech got involved, built me an awesome race machine and we went racing! I was so happy to get back out there!
How did that first race go?
I obeyed orders! Andy Prins of Racer Tech told me to go slow, figure out the machine and let the race come to me. That’s what I did. I had a ton of fun and went faster as the season went on! I am excited to announce that we have Factory Polaris support for the 2016 season, so you will see me out there again on the Polaris/Racer Tech ACE and we plan to put the hammer down!
We are certainly excited to see you back out there! It’s been good to have you around this season. You bring so much energy and passion to the spoert. You were absolutely the perfect fit for the Sport Ambassador Award at the banquet a couple months ago!
I was so excited to receive that! I have lived and breathed GNCC Racing since 2005 when I entered my first youth ATV race in Steele Creek, NC. I’ve had some setbacks along the way. In 2009, I tore my shoulder up pretty bad and missed a couple years. I came back in 2013 and won a WXC race. That was awesome! I was going to try to race dirt bikes in 2015 when this happened. But through it all, I have always loved the sport and the people in the GNCC Family. I was so honored to be on the Today Show. It was surreal having camera crews at the race track as I lived the dream! And then to be named the Sport Ambassador at the end of it all, that’s just icing on the cake! I plan to keep on being the sport’s biggest ambassador! I’m just so grateful for all the opportunities God has given me.
You have such a full plate, but you bring a fresh perspective. You joined Rodney Tomblin and myself in the Racer TV booth last year during the Ironman UTV race. Any plans to do more of that?
I’ve actually been talking to Tim Cotter (Racer Productions Event Director) about maybe doing some Racer TV color commentary as a guest. We’ll see if something can work out. I’m excited about the possibilities and it might just be another way to give back!
Fantastic! We are looking forward to the 2016 season with you. Who would you like to thank?
Of course I’d like to thank the Lord first. I couldn’t and wouldn’t be here without Him. Thank you to Racer Productions for the support and the interview. My family. They have stuck by me through all this. Andy and Katy Prins at Racer Tech. My mechanic Ben Blough. Polaris Facotry Racing, Racer Tech, Keffer Mazda, Justified Cultures, Shoei Helmets, Beard Seats, TopThePodium.com, Scott Goggles, SSI Decals, Yokley Racing, OMF Wheels, GBC Tires, Motion Pro, Trinity Racing, Loud Performance, Tire Blocks, Bikeman Performance.
I also invite people to follow my journey at www.stracham820.com