Shayne Smith
Future Paralympian

Shayne Smith is 19 years-old and is a graduate from Thornhill Secondary School’s High Performance Athlete Program, which allows elite athletes to participate in their chosen sport without having an adverse effect on their education. 

When he was four months old, Shayne contracted a life threatening illness called meningococcal septicemia and was given a two per cent chance of surviving.

He defied the odds, but even then doctors weren’t sure how much damage had been done because he was so young.  He was in a coma in intensive care for ten days during which time all his extremities had turned black from lack of blood flow.

Shane spent the next four months in hospital where he had to endure numerous skin grafts and multiple amputations - losing both of his legs, one hand, and half of each finger on the other hand. The positive attitude he displayed in the hospital has never wavered and today he is a role model for both disabled and able-bodied people. He does this by participating as a volunteer in the outreach program run by Variety Village where he goes to schools to play wheelchair basketball and then talks to the students about his disability. He is an ambassador for Paralympics Ontario, speaking to medical professionals about the importance of activity for people with disabilities. As a member of the OWSA he participates in the program called Bridging the Gap - teaching recently disabled young people wheelchair basketball and sledge hockey and emphasizing that if he can do it anyone can.

Shane has also travelled with his mother across Canada talking to children who have become amputees like himself and encouraging them to be positive and follow their dreams.

He has always enjoyed sport and was swimming at the age of three. He learned horseback riding and currently he plays both sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball. His goal is to eventually participate at the Paralympic games. Shane has also played golf, but prefers the faster paced activities and the camaraderie of being on a team.

When Shane first started playing basketball, many people were skeptical because of the severity of his disability and his coach was told he was setting Shayne up for disappointment.  Neither of them paid attention and now Shayne is a past member of the Canadian Junior National Wheelchair Basketball team for which he will be trying out again in the summer of 2008. He was a member of the silver medal Ontario Provincial Junior Team at the most recent Canada Games in the Yukon and the bronze medal Ontario Provincial Men’s Team at the provincial championships held in British Columbia. 

As an Ambassador for Variety, Shayne has appeared on T.V. numerous times promoting the fact that people with disabilities are as he says, “just differently abled.” He also speaks at many different events and is often asked to participate at press conferences and conduct media interviews.

In 1996 Shane was chosen by then Minister of Culture and Recreation, Isabel Basset, to join her and several dignitaries and Statesmen to have tea with President Nelson Mandela. Shane was also selected to present Queen Elizabeth II with a Limited Edition Doll as a gift from Variety.

Aside from sport, Shayne loves music and with the aid of a special attachment for his missing arm he played the drums in the school honour band. Although he is an excellent athlete he understands the importance of a good education and is about to start a media course at Seneca College.

Understanding the difficulties some families have when dealing with children with disabilities, Shane speaks to parent groups encouraging them to push their children to their fullest potential and not to be afraid to face the challenges.

He has participated in a conference within his school board to discuss the role of sport in schools, which unfortunately many of the school boards have cut due to a lack of funding.  Shane was one of only six student representatives and when the two-day conference was over, he was asked to represent young people with disabilities on a Special Advisory Board for the York Region Board of Education.

Shayne has won several awards for his achievements in both sport and everyday life. The courage and strength he displays are an inspiration to all who know him.