We first featured Jerome Flores in 2006 – after he had designed
his own recumbent tricycle. Flores is paralysed from a fall he suffered in 2003
and built the bike as a way to get around more efficiently than he would in
a wheelchair. Well, now, he’s moved it from recreation to a competitive
machine. He’s taking his recumbent tricycle on a fundraising road trip
from Corozal to Belize. But he can’t do it on the old one – after
all that’s made of exhaust pipes. So he got a sponsor and built a new
recumbent – this one of aluminium. We were there as he was putting on
the final touches today.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
This is Jerome Flores’ new recumbent trike – it’s designed
off the same model he built for his first one except that one was metal - this
one is aluminium. We were there when he saddled up and rode it for the very
first time today. It looked good on the road to Bermudian Landing – but
we asked how does it ride?
Jerome Flores,
“It feels wonderful. It is much lighter because of the aluminium tubings
so it could go at a much faster pace. So it is much more easier to ride but
the other bike is much heavier, it has a little extra seat at the back, it is
more heavier, it is made out of exhaust pipes and so this one here, the less
the better so we decided make it out of the aluminium tubings in order for it
to go at a faster pace and travel a longer distance.”
And it’s specially designed for the fund and awareness raising ride which
CARE is co-organizing.
“We’re lobbying right now for the public to recognize persons
with disabilities. We’ve been lobbying the government to ratify the Convention
on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and I think that this will be a good
opportunity for us to highlight what are the issues, what are the challenges.
We sent out letters and Mr. German Vega, Vega and Sons from Orange Walk, is
the agent for Blue Shot Energy Drink. He readily, when he saw the proposal he
readily accepted and provided the finances to build this bike. It is kind of
expensive but he provided the finances.”
Jerome Flores,
“Here in Belize the aluminium tubing is very expensive.”
Jules Vasquez,
How much it cost to make this bike considering you put in the work yourself?
Jerome Flores,
“Well the total cost, with the pipes and all the bike parts, it works
out more or less $3,000.”
So now with the hi-tech bike, he’s been training to get ready for the
next big ride in two weeks.
Jerome Flores,
“I’ve been training from the beginning of the year. From January
I’ve been training. At first we were going about four miles and a half
and that was very tiring because to get into shape when you are just starting
it feels hard at the beginning. But after months of training I could ride at
a longer distance and I don’t feel it much in my body.”
Jules Vasquez,
Is failure an option?
Jerome Flores,
“Never. Once I set my mind to do something, I won’t quit. I
am not a quitter.”
Jules Vasquez,
Are you doing this, I know you are doing it as a fundraiser, but are you doing
it also to inspire young people, to show that there is no obstacle so insurmountable
that it should defeat you?
Jerome Flores,
“Yeah because today everyone all want to find the easiest way, always
getting into trouble. I just want to inspire them that not because you are in
a wheelchair you can’t be no one, you can’t do anything. I just
want to show them and inspire all of them out there, people that have a disability,
people without a disability, just want to inspire them and show them that once
you set your mind to do something and you have that strong will power you can
accomplish anything in life.”
And clearly for this man – like the ad campaign says - impossible is
nothing.
The ride starts in two weeks and will be scheduled over three stages,
day one is form Corozal to Orange Walk, day two Orange Walk to Sandhill and
day three Sandhill to Belize City.