Grand Blue Mile participant defies odds after life-changing accident

DES MOINES, Iowa -- After a motorcycle accident that left him partially paralyzed, a Des Moines man is preparing for the Grand Blue Mile. The Grand Blue Mile, presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is an annual one-mile race held in downtown Des Moines during Drake Relays week. For John Nichols, the event serves as a primary goal for his ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation efforts. Nichols was a thrill seeker, enjoying paragliding and riding motorcycles before his life changed in May 2019. "I was on my way to see my mom… beautiful day and I can't explain it, I was just.. who took the road? All of a sudden, I'm a dirt bike on a full dress Harley. I almost rode it out, and I kept saying you got this, you got this, but there was a rut hiding in some tall grass, and when I hit that, it was all over. Your life can change in an instant." The accident resulted in multiple fractures along his spine and a cut carotid artery, leaving Nichols paralyzed from the ribs down. In his 60s, he had to relearn basic movements and adopt a new psychological approach to his recovery. "I didn't grieve an extended period of time but I gave myself permission to visit dark places sometimes and not beat myself over it," Nichols said. "I immediately tried to adopt an athlete's mentality with it. I would hear, an old coach of mine – what are you telling yourself?" Nichols worked with a specialized medical team to regain mobility; his rehabilitation eventually expanded to include a dedicated strength program. Nichols said his recovery was built on a philosophy of incremental progress. "I know it was a really big day when I could wiggle a toe. Just one toe," Nichols said. "I have this mantra where I try to do, try to get 1% better every day." Referring to his medical team, he added, "I'm so thankful to just so many medical professionals.. many of whom I'll never meet. But two stand out right now." The idea of walking the mile-long course was initially daunting for Nichols due to the large crowds that gather for the event. However, he has now completed the race for three consecutive years. "The Grand Blue Mile seemed intimidating. Only because, of all the people there seeing me," Nichols said. "The Grand Blue Mile is a measuring stick for me.. just to even finish it is great. but to keep pushing myself to get better every year." Nichols is now training for the upcoming race and encourages others to remain physically active regardless of their circumstances. "For a lot of people it's easy to do a mile. It used to be. A mile was nothing. But now it's my marathon," Nichols said. The Grand Blue Mile is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, in downtown Des Moines. Participants and spectators can find more information at the Grand Blue Mile website. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WHO 13 News. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WHO 13 News staff before being published.