Ray Free
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Captain
I was born in Carmichael California, and lived in
Sacramento until I was seventeen. I moved to
Hawaii with a friend in search of my destiny. I really
enjoyed the weather, the beach, and working. I worked
for two different companies both in the masonry and the
tile business. After seven years, I was at the top of my
field and became a foreman for my company. I worked on
million dollar homes and some federal jobs like the
Pearl Harbor Memorial.
I married my wife Debi there and had two daughters,
Amanda and Ashley. We lived in Makiki for most of the
time and then moved to Kaneohe. All together I lived in
Hawaii for fifteen years and life was good.
On November 17, 2000, I was visiting friends at a hotel
in Waikiki. We were out on the balcony and I was leaning
over the rail to point out some work that I had done. My
feet slipped out from underneath me and I fell thirty
feet on my back. I broke my back and tore my spinal cord
T5-T6. I remember waking up in the hospital and saying
to myself,…"My life as I know it is over."
I spent two months in recovery, and just like when you
have a newborn baby they let you out on your own. My
girls did not take to the new Ray very well. My oldest
use to say I was her backbone, now I lost my job and we
could no longer stay in Hawaii. We moved to Roseville to
be closer to family for support.
I thought I was the only one in a wheelchair in
Roseville. For two years I was lost, I just tried to
keep my head up. I saw Sled Hockey on ESPN and thought
it looked liked something I could do. Then I got a
letter from City of Sacramento’s Access Leisure Program.
It said that they will be having Sled Hockey at
Skatetown Ice Arena, right here in Roseville! The first
time I tried it I was hooked. My spirits were lifted. It
was not just the exercise, but it’s was the teammates.
Every one of them has helped me out in some way. They
have shown me that there is life after paralysis.
I remember the first tournament I played in. It was in
Denver Colorado and we were in the Championship Game. We
lost in overtime, but I had a smile from ear to ear!
That was the most exciting game I had been part of! I
now have good upper body strength and am once again
happy. But, most of all my family is happy.