Life Journey of Darwin Bender

Darwin Bender’s life was deeply rooted in the agricultural landscape. He grew up on a family farm where they tended to cattle, cultivated grains and raised pigs. He enjoyed an active lifestyle in this rural setting.

However, an unforeseen accident abruptly transformed his world. As a passenger in a truck driven by a drunk driver, his life took an unexpected turn. The vehicle rolled over, resulting in a life altering trip to the hospital. This moment marked the beginning of his remarkable journey towards resilience and personal growth. He suffered a T10 level injury that resulted in him being a paraplegic. He underwent back surgery at Regina General Hospital and spent three-months of rehabilitation journey at Wascana Rehabilitation Centre. Determined to regain his independence, he returned to his family farm where his father ingeniously constructed a lift to facilitate his access in and out of tractor.

Eventually Darwin’s path led him to Regina after securing a job at SaskPower through equity program highlighting the organizations commitment to inclusivity. While staying in Regina, he returned to his family farm often to assist his family with harvesting. While Darwin found SaskPower to be an accessible workplace, he could not ignore instances of discrimination in promotions linked to his disability.

Accessible Sports: Darwin maintained an active and vibrant lifestyle by engaging in various sports and recreational activities. He cherished the thrill of snowmobile travel and derby adventure with his friends. Beyond that, he found joy in playing basketball, sledge hockey, wheelchair curling, and tennis.

Motivation: During early stages of his journey at WRC following the spinal cord injury, Darwin had a pivotal encounter. Two individuals who had faced spinal cord injury, joined one of the group gathering at WRC. These individuals shared their remarkable life experiences, demonstrating what was possible after such an injury.

Adaptive Technology and Accessible Equipment: Darwin shared that adaptive technology and equipment is expensive. His dad built a lift for him when he bought a house so he can go to the basement from main floor. When confronted with questions about the obstacles he faced, he candidly highlighted the challenges posed by Gov’t policies and health care system.

Despite these challenges, his resilience and determination continued to drive him forward, demonstrating that he was capable of overcoming both physical and societal barriers. Currently he is living on an acreage, maintaining yard in the summer, growing and harvesting vegetables, and enjoying quietness of rural area.

Read Darwin’s full story in our FALL 2023 PARASCOPE Magazine, pg. 13-14.