鈥淚 am grateful that I got to live two lives,鈥� sighed Blake Lamontagne. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I am not grateful for the accident, but I am super fortunate to have lived this second life. I just wish I had been more patient.鈥�
This was the overarching theme as Lamontagne shared the details of his life, truly wanting to help anyone who is struggling with wherever they are stuck right now. A healthy, competitive young man spending his entire life being involved in any activities he could with family, friends and on various teams who had everything stripped away in a moment.听
Waking up after the accident brought complete shock and denial, frustration and joy at seeing family. With the rush of emotions flooding his brain, he was aware enough to wake up out of the coma to wish his Grandma Happy Birthday and family were ecstatic he was awake. Reality quickly set in and the struggle was just about to begin.
鈥淚t was a roller coaster for sure,鈥� Lamontagne went on.
Once doctors told him he would never walk, Lamontagne fought their assessment.
鈥淚 broke my neck and that would heal, and I could still move my head. I destroyed my shoulder and that can be repaired and rehabbed and healed. Why would I believe that my spinal cord would not heal?鈥� He described his level of knowledge and said, 鈥淏oy, did I have a lot to learn.鈥�
Lamontagne described the kick in the butt he got from some amazing men that not only befriended him, but who were there for him in the tough times. There were seven years of attitudes and fighting the reality that he will be in a wheelchair for life that were definitely holding him back. This short story will never fully express the accomplishments and mind shift he has experienced in the last six years, but the hours of interviewing had me laughing, crying, being inspired and writing down his words to implement in my own life.
Clayton Gerein and Chris 鈥淐owboy鈥� Pierson were paraplegic champions in their own ways, being mentors to many and men who would not let him stay discouraged or give up. They invited him to try new things. An entire story could be written on each of these men and the roles they played in Lamontagne鈥檚 life. 鈥淣o one would be interested in my story at all if it wasn鈥檛 for these two,鈥� Lamontagne explained some of the dark thoughts and times early on. Both men have passed on, but they will forever be in his soul.
The problem was, he had done all activities on his own legs and was not about to relearn them in a wheelchair.
鈥淚 was stubborn,鈥� he laughed. 鈥淚 viewed people in wheelchairs in such a stupid way, like most of society does. If I could go back to my 16-year-old self, I would whoop my own ass,鈥� he said shaking his head.
One thing very special to Blake鈥檚 situation is about two weeks after being told he would never walk, never feel anything or have any function in his legs again, he felt his mom tickle his foot and his leg kicked right out. They both freaked out! 鈥淭he little toe on my right foot was the first thing I started moving. Being the furthest away from where my injury is, it still baffles people today,鈥� Lamontagne relayed excitedly. 鈥淚 can consistently move it today without having to strain, grunt or groan. I am wiggling it right now.鈥� This and the fact that most people in wheelchairs told him not to get too excited was very confusing and frustrating. His determination and fight to be the best at whatever he tried along with some crucial people in his life were not going to let him lay down and accept it.
Wishing there was time and space to share more of the very personal details of Blake鈥檚 story, we need to fast forward to August 2014. After trying many sports, he was invited to a 鈥淕ive it a Go鈥� day waterskiing in Wascana Lake. Blake had only waterskied once in his life as a young teen. Aside from a funny encounter with a spotter, who ended up being the Canadian Paralympic Team coach, Dave Wassill, Lamontagne stumbled into a sport he loved. He entered an amazing six years of using his drive and determination to perfect his skills, travel around the world and get back into competitive sports at a level he never imagined.
April 2015 had him at training camp in Florida and the following two years he was perfecting all the details of getting in and out of the water, tricks and jumps. 鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 get enough. Teach me more,听 let鈥檚 go,鈥� was Lamontagne鈥檚 attitude with this new love.
He competed at worlds in Australia in 2017, broke a Canadian trick world record in Norway in 2019, and broke it again at nationals. Who in the world would ever think this could happen to him? The key is, it didn鈥檛 just happen. It took a lot of hard work and huge mindset change.
Presently, you will find Lamontagne taking classes online, working out hard with Divergent Training buddy, Adam Swanson and volunteering to build into other young people who find themselves freshly apart of the wheelchair community.
Some of the best things about his accident are how he, his family and friends view and interact with people in wheelchairs and being able to pay it forward the way his mentors did with him. 鈥淭he best thing in the world is to have someone tell me I have helped them,鈥� Blake remembers. 鈥淚 get to inspire and encourage people in my situation, or maybe even an able-bodied person who feels like they are stuck.鈥� He recalled working with a life coach that helped him solidify the practice of adapt or die. He is an ambassador with the Rick Hansen Foundation where they promote that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way to get it and nothing can get in your way. 鈥淵ou will find a way over it, under it, around it or you鈥檒l go through it if you want it bad enough,鈥� he quoted.
Blake shared what he has put into practice from a great friend and life coach, 鈥淵ou anchor yourself in the present moment and work on it one day at a time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I am anxious, I am worried about something that might or might not even happen in the future. If I am depressed, I am dwelling on the past. Even if you are crawling inch by inch, keep going, Don鈥檛 lose that momentum. When someone鈥檚 inner flame has gone out, doesn鈥檛 mean it can鈥檛 be reignited鈥hat is what I try to do for others every day. Being in that water ski, I leave it all behind and can just be in the present moment. I need that, even though it is so short. I get the same release when I am in the gym with Adam.鈥�
Live your life to the full, appreciate things and give back summarized Lamontagne鈥檚 mindset today. When asked his age, 鈥淚 am 16 with 14 years鈥� experience,鈥� he laughed 鈥渂ut now I know why this happened to me鈥o I can help others.鈥�
Blake Lamontagne wants you to reach out to him, no matter where you are at in life. Take the time to follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
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