Overcome (adjective): overwhelmed, overpowered, incapacitated, disabled, killed.

Brian Owens grew up in West Baltimore on Bentalou Street, off North Avenue. He was very athletic with a ton of potential in football, boxing, track and wrestling. He rejected the characterization that he fell in with a bad crowd. "I wouldn't say that," said Brian. "I would say that I made bad decisions. Like I tell my daughter, the crowds you're with don't determine the choices you make."

Brian is now a humble, Mother Nature loving, single father of 15 year old young woman, Amyia. He was 24 years old on Saturday, September 6, 2008 when he went to pick up a female friend at a party. He waited in the parking lot for her but, after long enough, he went in to let her know he was there. There was another guy there who was hitting on his friend. When Brian was leaving with her, this guy made some disrespectful comments at both of them. After some verbal back and forth, people stepped in to stop a fight. Brian left with his friend.

They got in his car but Brian's pride took over. "I just couldn't let it go," said Brian. "I drove back to the party where the guy and his friend were standing, waiting. They had it in their minds, if the opportunity presented itself, they were just going to shoot me." Brian lowered his window and the guy's friend pulled a gun. Brian floored the car. He was hit by three bullets as he sped away. One grazed in the back of his head, one hit his left leg. The third hit him in the back and instantly paralyzed him.

Overcome (adjective): weakened, browbeaten, downtrodden

He struggled, as a lot of people do and would, after his accident. The IM ABLE Foundation is a community of people with challenges who are supportive, positive, and empowering. But almost every one of them went through a dark period after their accident. Brian was no different.

"My first few years, I didn't do much but physical therapy. I didn't see myself as a gifted athlete anymore. I had no motivation to participate in wheelchair sports up until 2014 when I met Vickie McHugh, a personal trainer at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She helped me find an interest in becoming an adaptive sports athlete and doing adaptive CrossFit. "

Overcome (verb): surmount, conquer, defeat, beat, trounce, prevail, triumph , thrive

Erin Michael is the Manager of Patient Advocacy and Special Programs at Kennedy Krieger Institute. After eight years of politely declining Erin's offer of competing in hand-cycling marathons, Brian finally obliged. The institute loaned Brian a hand cycle to train and compete. A fourth-place finish at Baltimore Running Festival on October 19, 2019 fueled his desire to become a Paralympian. "If there's one thing I can say about him, without hesitation," said Erin, "it's that he is extremely determined and motivated. Through adaptive sports, Brian has really been able to push himself, both physically and mentally. "

"My goals outside of handcycling are to own a home, to start a business, and to raise my daughter to be an independent woman who can go out on her own. As far as handcycling goes, I want to compete as a Paralympian, to go international. I want to push the boundaries as to what a T-2 paraplegic can do. I want to show people that even though you may be confined to a wheelchair, as long as you stay mentally strong, you can still go out and do a lot. You can still be happy. You have to find a way to keep moving forward and help pull up people who are struggling with their own challenges."

"Stay Bless"

The mission of the IM ABLE Foundation is to remove obstacles that prevent people from being active. We have given hundreds of equipment grants to people like Brian who refuse to let their challenges define them. We are a community redefining what is possible.

A special thanks to MD Strategic Consulting a Mayson-Dixon Company for using your platform to help Brian thrive.