A massive workout

Another athlete at Cary Street Gym was Rob Drescher, a 21-year-old Richmond resident who became a paraplegic at age 14 because of a rare disease called blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome.

Drescher, who had been featured earlier that day in a WRIC 8News story, “Chesterfield man raises awareness for ‘Rare Disease Day,’” has played basketball and lacrosse through Sportable, and signed up for the rock climbing event as soon as he saw it. He’d previously tried rock climbing several years ago at Peak Experiences in Chesterfield County.

“I got injured at 14, and I’d rock climbed a few times before that. Comparing that to now, it’s just a lot more difficult now. It’s all upper body [strength] because I can’t use my legs,” he said. “It’s just a massive workout, which I can’t complain about — I’m definitely up for that.

“It’s something to just kind of test your limits. It definitely takes a lot of endurance. It’s hard. It’ll get you — I’ll be sore tomorrow, for sure.”

Drescher, who mentors newly injured patients at VCU Medical Center, volunteers with the United Spinal Association of Virginia and has appeared in Virginia Blood Services videos to thank donors. He climbed with a small amount of help from a pulley system, while Ashley Taylor, a senior in the Department of History in the College of Humanities and Sciences, held a rope attached to his harness to keep him from banging into the wall.

“I think this is awesome,” Drescher said. “VCU has so many resources, it’s great that they’re working with Sportable. Adaptive sports isn’t really a big thing around here — not many people know about adaptive sports. So this is really great. I’m glad that VCU is out here to show some support and help us out.”