Sharon Dawn Moore Myers lives an independent lifestyle on a small farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with paraplegic husband, Billy and Border Collie, Molly B Maid.
“In 2011, Billy and I celebrate a combined 110 years living with paralysis!”
As a retired four-time Paralympian, four time-Pan-Americans, two-time Stoke Mandeville, England wheelchair athlete, I have competed in eighteen countries in my athlete career. After retiring from sports, I traveled to five continents with SATH promoting equal access in tourism for people with physical impairments.
Share with me my Peruvian adventures white water rafting down the Urubamba River, climbing Machu Picchu, and touring ancient Incan sites. Hold your breath as I ascend the steep bank from the muddy Tambopata River as the first paralyzed person to visit a lodge deep in the rain forest on the border of Bolivia. Enjoy safaris in the Middle East and South Africa. Ride along with me as I take you through India and Europe and introduce some incredible people I met along my journey.
Stroll with Billy and me through our self-maintained gardens and small wheelchair user friendly farm deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Meet Speck and Molly B Maid, our Border Collies who not only help us inside our home we built, but also in the garden and on our farm!
Watch Billy as he pushes snow and pulls garden wagons with his scooter. Relax inside our Secret Forest which evolved after planting Christmas trees some thirty five years ago. Today, the Secret Forest is the inspiration for a series of children’s books about real people and real life stories. Cruise along with us in our hand-control operated antique Ford cars and in my very first car–a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda!”
You are invited to join the On A Roll Team and share your experiences and comments which may be posted on this site.
***All Photography and video by Sharon unless otherwise stated.
To know Sharon is to know that she has three major passions (besides her husband Billy): sports, gardening, and travel. Visit each page to find out what Sharon is doing in those areas.
Featured in: WE Magazine, Ebony,National Geographic Traveler, Sports & Spokes, Paraplegia News, Open World-SATH, Barrier Free Travel-Candy Harrington, Wheelchair Champions-Harriet Savitz, Paco’s Gift-Sharon Moore Myers
MEMBERSHIPS
Past and Present:
- Mid-Atlantic Wheelchair Athletic Association
- National Wheelchair Athletic Association
- National Wheelchair Basketball Association
- National Rifle Association-Sharpshooter
- National Hook-Up-Indoor Sports
- Member-Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities-Chair of varied committees
- Member-President’s Committee on Employment for People With Disabilities
- Citation for Meritorious Service -President’s Committee On Employment of the Handicapped
- Special Education Committee-Botetourt County School Board
- Consortium Member-Virginia Assistive Technology Systems
- Member-Virginia Parks and Recreation Society
- STAND-Board Member-(Stop the Abuse and Neglect of the Disabled)
- Royal Horticulture Society
- Roanoke Council of Garden Clubs
- National Federation of GC
- Virginia Federation of GC
- LaBellevue Garden Club
- Roanoke Valley Writers
- Blue Ridge Pens
Special Sports Awards:
- 1973-Award for Removal of Architectural Barriers in Providing Recreation for the Disabled by the Virginia Parks and Recreation Society.
- Captain-First U.S. Women’s Basketball Team-1968, 1969, 1970
- Captain-U. S. Paralympic Women’s Team-1972
- Captain-U. S. Paralympic Swimming Team-1972
- Jack Gearhart-Athlete of the Year-1973-(highest honor equivalent to the Heisman Trophy Award)
- National Sportsmanship Award-Seattle-1974
- Virginia Wheelchair Sports Hall of Fame
- National Wheelchair Sports Hall of Fame Induction-University of Pennsylvania-1988- Plaque displayed at the Roosevelt Institute
Sharon attended a World Bank Conference and chatted with Ted Kennedy.
- Co-Founder-Virginia Wheelchair Games
- Founder-Big Wheels Women’s Basketball Team
- Founder-Jefferson Jets-Women’s Basketball Team-Final Four-Kansas City-1992
- Founder-Big Wheels Basketball Team (Star City Saints)-played,coached 25 yrs.
- Founder-Star City Wheelchair Athletic Association, Inc.-President-501-C-nonprofit
- Founder-Bowling League for Children & Adults with Disabilities
- Founder-Cusco Coraje- (Cusco Courage)-Sports Team in the Andes Mountains of Peru
- Peruvian Law similar to our ADA-contributed information translated by Jose Isola–
- Founder-Old Dominion Wheelchair Basketball Conference-President
- Coach of the Year-Capitol W/C Basketball Conference
- Advisor and Honorary Member of the Peruvian Polio Society
- Miss Wheelchair Virginia-1976
- Miss Wheelchair Virginia Board Member and Head Judge
- President-Miss Wheelchair Virginia, Inc.
- White House Conference for the International Year of the Disabled Regional Rep
- Capitol Wheelchair Basketball Conference-Vice President
- Co-founder-Blue Ridge Center for Independent Living-Board Member
- Award for Continuous Service to People With Disabilities-Presented by Sen. Edwards
- Roanoke Regional Airport Commission-Board Member
- Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities
- Award for Services for People With Disabilities-Roanoke Regional Airport Com.
- Chair-Virginia Committee on Medicare and Medicaid
- Chair-Governor’s Committee on Physical Fitness
- Pilot Club of Roanoke-Past President
- Professional Handicapped Woman of the Year-Pilot Club International
- Virginia District of the Pilot Club-chaired numerous committees on the district level
- Who’s Who In America
- Speaker-State-National-International Panels-“TOURISM FOR ALL”
- Chair-Adaptive Equipment-SATH -www.sath.org
- Chair-Sports & Adventure Travel-SATH
- SATH-Director, Disability Affairs
- Inventor-Adaptive Equipment-to make travel safer and possible
- Speaker-Int’l and National Conferences on Travel for People With Disabilities
- Writer-National and International Magazine articles
- Founder-Access To Medicine for People With Disabilities-advisors to hospitals
- Speaker- local schools-educating children about disabilities
- Speaker-civic organizations
- Speaker-college students-enrolled in physical and occupational therapy
- Counseling-newly injured patients in hospital and rehabilitation centers
- Conducts in-service training for city employees-disability etiquette
- Founder- Roanoke Polio Support Group
- Co-Founder – Blue Ridge Pens
During this holiday season 2011, I have lost six long time friends. Sonny LaRue was one of them. I am so grateful that we connected a few weeks before his sudden death. His thoughts and comments I will always cherish along with the childhood memories he leaves behind. After receiving his post, I called and we had a wonderful conversation. His memories were vivid. We share so much not knowing the time was short for him. God rest his sweet soul.
I have an unused electric wheelchair I’d like to donate. Contact me.
With a life long friend like Sharon , has been a real honor to to be called a friend. When I got out of the Marines I was told that Sharon was doing all of these things with in sports. All I could say was how great for her to do these things that she couldn’t do as a child but wanted to. She would set on the play ground at Jefferson School and watching never making a face or complain over it.
Sonny, What a joy it has been to reunite with you. Thank you so much for sharing those wonderful childhood memories you have. It was also an honor for me to have a friend like you. Thank you for helping me be able to attend public schools which helped me to become a participating person in an able bodied world and achieve my dreams in spite of and because of living with paralysis. May our God continue to bless and keep you.
Have read and followed some of your comments to a mutual friend, and now have the joy to read and see just what ,as my grandson would say, an “Amazeable” people you all truly are. Thanks for all they things you have done in life to help and touch others.
<3 lov N Christ,
Brenda
WOW what an amazing person!
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