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By Miriam Raftery
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| Hermes Castro with Sir Robert Swan, polar explorer who has invited Castro on his Antarctic expedition |
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| Antarctica |
January 7, 2008 (Fallbrook) — Invited by a famous polar explorer to join
an Antarctic expedition in March, Hermes Castro and his fellow students
at Mesa College are raising funds for transportation and special equipment
to help him fulfill his dream. But Castro has already come a long way
since September 2006, when he was struck head-on by a drunk-driver in Bonsall
while riding his bicycle to work in Fallbrook--tragedy that left him paralyzed
from the waist down.
"After he hit me, his truck hit a bunch of hay bales. Some of them fell
on me," recalled Castro, a former triathlon, marathon runner and physical trainer. "I
was dragged quite a way and I did have a stroke at the scene."
Fortunately for Castro, two veterans witnessed the accident and rushed to
his aid. "They said it was worse than anything they'd seen in Iraq,"
Castro recalled. "I couldn't see them because I was so bloody." Castro
suffered two broken legs, a dislocated shoulder, and worse--incomplete fractures
of two vertebrae, leaving him a paraplegic.
"You've definitely got to keep moving," Castro said. His indomitable
spirit and positive outlook have helped him rise above hardships and aspire
to lofty goals. Within weeks after the accident, he talked his doctors
into allowing him to go skiing on a mono-ski. He built up his upper body
strength to power a hand-cycle and has regained some feeling in his legs--enough
to pedal a stationary bicycle, despite doctor's predictions that he will never
walk again. Castro remains hopeful--but isn't letting life leave him sidelined
just because he's in a wheelchair.
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| Paraplegic Hermes Castro of Fallbrook skiing on a monoski |
Now a geology major with emphasis in hydrology at Mesa College, Castro caught
the attention of Sir Robert Swan, the polar explorer made famous for being
the only person in the world to walk across both the North and South poles. View
a video of Swan by clicking here and scrolling down:www.2041.com/antarctic-expeditions.
The feat will likely never be repeated, due to melting of polar ice fueled
by global climate change.
Inspired by Castro's courage, Swan invited the paraplegic student to accompany
him on Inspire Antarctic Expedition in March. "He wants me to
go on his expedition and in return, bring back knowledge to our schools--talk
to them about the polar caps, global warming and natural energy. Sir
Swan has a room in Antaractica that is all powered by natural energy," Castro
told East County Magazine.
Swan is also credited with discovering the hole in the ozone--and sounding
a global alarm. "When he was walking across the South Pole, the ice started
melting. He had to speed up the pace," Castro said. "When they finished the
mission, their faces were sunburnt, their eyes were burnt...When he went back,
he found a hole in the ozone."
The explorer generously offered to cover Castro's fees and expenses during
the expedition. Past trips have included leaders of corporations and
environmental groups as well as teachers and students. But Castro needs
funds for travel costs and special gear for the extreme cold weather.
"I need $10,000 by mid-March, otherwise I'm going to be borrowing a whole
bunch of clothes," quipped Castro, whose fellow students hosted a pizza fundraiser
that netted $300. Private and corporate donors have also pledged support,
but he still has a long path to climb.
He is determined to go, despite concerns raised by his physicians. "They
asked, `How will you get in the boat, get up and down stairs when the boat
is moving," Castro said. Sir Robert Swan said the doctors should help
me learn to manage how to get around, not set up barriers. He's promised
to have three people assigned to me 24/7. That includes my wife, Sara."
The drunk driver who injured Castro is in prison. Over time, Castro
has grown forgiving in his outlook, after learning that the man was going through
severe personal problems at the time. Ultimately, he hopes to see the driver
released and perhaps able to work and contribute to help cover Castro's ongoing
medical costs.
He drives a specially-equipped Cadillac now and has received a grant from
the Challenge Athletes Foundation. He also serves on the board of the Adaptive
Sports Foundation, helping provide practical information on rehabilitation
options as well as inspire others facing similar challenges. "I have
a friend, he's 18, in Fallbrook who just got paralyzed...I'm trying to
get him into basketball," said Castro, who wants to help disabled people move
beyond depression and attain their maximum potential.
Castro still faces challenges. He needs a wheelchair with bigger wheels,
and he battles pain from his injuries on a daily basis. But he concludes
optimistically, "I'm still fighting."
Details and future fundraising efforts will be posted at www.hermescastro.com and www.sdmesa.edu, where financial contributions are also accepted. Castro also hopes to write a blog from Antarctica
chronicling his adventure. For more information, call 619-388-2699.
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