{"id":1547005,"date":"2024-05-17T11:24:22","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T08:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1547005"},"modified":"2024-05-17T11:24:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-17T08:24:22","slug":"saboo-takaki-was-paralyzed-in-a-bike-crash-and-told-hed-never-walk-again-this-is-his-inspiring-journey-back-to-cycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1547005","title":{"rendered":"Saboo Takaki Was Paralyzed in a Bike Crash and Told He\u2019d Never Walk Again. This Is His Inspiring Journey Back to Cycling."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Published May 17, 2024 11:24AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Twenty-one years ago, Saboo Takaki crashed his mountain bike while preparing for a race. As an aspiring semi-pro mountain biker working his way up the ranks, crashing wasn\u2019t an unfamiliar experience for him.<\/p>\n

But immediately he knew this one was different.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t turn,\u201d he recalled recently while sitting on his front porch in San Francisco. \u201cThis huge confusion shot into my head. I was in panic mode. I quickly realized this crash was bigger than any I\u2019d ever had. People were surrounding me and an EMT was trying to secure me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was helicoptered to the hospital, in the greatest pain of his life, and could already sense that the outlook was grim. After he underwent surgery, doctors delivered some sobering news.\u00a0He had suffered a compound fracture to six vertebrae and his spine was now fused together with rods. He was diagnosed with incomplete paraplegia and given a single-digit percentage chance of being able to walk again.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou won\u2019t be able to walk again and you need to adapt to a new life,\u201d he remembers his doctor saying. His mental state and self esteem plummeted to the deepest, darkest place of his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like a death sentence to me,\u201d he said. \u201cI think initially I gave up on my life as I was no longer in control of my body, or my future for that matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

But still, there was a chance or regaining mobility, and he soon found motivation for a path forward.<\/p>\n

From Japan to San Francisco<\/h2>\n

Saboo became a cyclist the day his parents took the training wheels off his bike\u00a0and he coasted down a slope. From there, his is a familiar story of finding freedom on the bike, pushing first to the edge of his village in the countryside of northern Japan, and then finding new boundaries outside of his comfort zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really started loving everything about cycling and appreciating the simple joy I can get from riding a bicycle,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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He began training on the road with his school\u2019s ski team, who cross-trained on bikes in the summer months. He also tried his hand at track racing, training vigorously for it. But it would be the sport\u2019s newest discipline that really grabbed his attention.<\/p>\n

Seeing pictures of John Tomac racing mountain bikes in the early \u201890s and skidding through corners ignited a passion for the sport. \u201cI thought mountain biking was the coolest thing in the world\u201d!<\/p>\n

It helped that off-roading better suited his style of riding, not to mention it was more fun.<\/p>\n

Around this time, Saboo\u2019s horizons were expanding in other ways. As a teenager, he had the opportunity to live in Australia, a formative experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cMetaphorically, we were taught to stay within the boundaries and follow the established path,\u201d he said of growing up in Japan. Having now experienced a taste of a foreign culture, he was looking to break free from the conservative monoculture of his upbringing.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI begged my parents to send me to the US after high school,\u201d he said. In 1996, he moved to San Francisco, without knowing its proximity to Marin, the birthplace of mountain biking. It didn\u2019t take long for him to figure it out, and he couldn\u2019t help but get sucked into the sport further.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis city is a perfect playground with many steep hills, across the bridge from the Marin Headlands and scenic views from many of the vistas in the different neighborhoods. I fell in love with it and never left.\u201d<\/p>\n

He met a community of likeminded bikers, all enjoying the region\u2019s ample trails, with more accessible by car in Santa Cruz and Tahoe. By the late \u201890s, he was gravitating toward the burgeoning discipline\u2019s more extreme side.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved riding fast through the corners, technical sections and really loved the feeling of competing and winning the races,\u201d he said. \u201cI gradually moved up the levels and started riding a full suspension bike and started racing in national level races all over the US as an amateur racer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In 2003, following many victories and podiums at the amateur level, Saboo was looking to take the next step and jump from amateur to semi-pro.<\/p>\n

But a desire to reach the sport\u2019s next level propelled him to push harder and harder, even in terrain where he was less comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to develop an ego,\u201d he said. \u201cI thought I was really fast and incredibly talented.\u201d<\/p>\n

His talents soon brushed up against reality.<\/p>\n

May 17, 2003 would be his last ever race. On his final practice run of a course in Big Bear, California, one that featured big jumps and less of the flowy, technical riding where he excelled, he pushed himself too far outside of his limits.<\/p>\n

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Learning to walk again, one small step at a time<\/h2>\n
\"Saboo
Saboo today. He walks with the help of a cane. (Photo: Tyler Nutter\/Ornot)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Earlier this year, I joined Saboo for a ride from his home in San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County. It\u2019s a ride that would have been unimaginable for him 21 years ago, facing down the news of likely never walking again. Frankly, it would have been surprising news even a few years ago. Getting to where he is now has been a long journey physically, mentally, and emotionally.<\/p>\n

In the days and weeks after his accident, Saboo was at his lowest. He was faced with a sudden loss of independence, and was burdened with crushing medical debt in the high six figures, his bills looking \u201cas thick as a dictionary.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Friends and family unconditionally supported Saboo through this traumatic time, but even still, processing this new reality was an emotional roller coaster. \u201cI was devastated,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t walk, I don\u2019t know how to pay for the medical bills or what will happen to my future. I wanted to surrender and let it consume me.\u201d<\/p>\n

About two weeks after the accident, Saboo received a glimmer of hope: his right toe moved. Not long after, more good news: he learned that the race organizer of the event he crashed in would pick up his medical bill.<\/p>\n

Now, relieved of one burden and imbued with hope, standing up and walking were the only goals he could think of.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember sharing my goal with other patients in my peer group, that I\u2019ll stand up and walk out of this hospital. The host of the group quickly mentioned \u2018That\u2019s very ambitious but let\u2019s aim for a more realistic one.\u2019 I wheeled myself out of the room like I didn\u2019t belong there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For the first two years after the accident, Saboo remained in a wheelchair, slowly pushing his limits. \u201cI started to wheel myself a bit further each time and explore my boundaries,\u201d he said. \u201cI think this became my ethos just like how I felt when I started cycling when I was a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had to relearn how to do just about everything in that time. Things that able bodied people take for granted like putting on a sock became a Herculean task.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re paralyzed, moving your own feet is as impossible as moving a bottle of water on a table only by using your mind like telekinesis, it was that disconnected from my brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luckily, with the help of his physical therapy team, Saboo was regaining movement in his legs bit by bit. They would gear up his body in crutches and braces, allowing him to practice standing and balancing, essentially from the same starting point as a baby.<\/p>\n

The limitations of a wheelchair against steep slopes or curbs provided extra motivation to keep progressing.\u00a0It has been a slow, incremental journey, marked by distinct milestones, like crossing a busy street on his own.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI was ecstatic and so stoked on life,\u201d he recalled of that moment. \u201cWho\u2019d have thought such a simple thing can bring so much joy and satisfaction\u201d?<\/p>\n

But arriving at that point took getting over worrying about what others think of his limited mobility and altered gait.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told myself, it doesn\u2019t matter what and how others think of me, my happiness is ultimately what matters most. From then, I made incremental and realistic goals so anytime I couldn\u2019t make it, I still felt it was achievable if I worked for it continuously. It became a motto I live by to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting back on the bike<\/h2>\n
\"Saboo
(Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the wheelchair, Saboo\u2019s next step was an e-scooter. It allowed him greater mobility, in what was still a simple life. He would ride to a nearby grocery store and then a pool to swim.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t perfect but a lot more than I originally envisioned back when I was in the ICU,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Eventually, he regained enough strength in his legs to return to a pedal bicycle, though in a limited capacity. He was nervous at first, but gained more confidence over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cReturning to riding a bicycle to live independently and continuously expanded my horizons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he was bumping up against physical limitations. He could travel about 5 miles under his own power, just enough range for commuting, but not much else.<\/p>\n

Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck and shut down his pool, one of his main sources of exercise. He needed to find something else. Around this time, e-gravel and e-road bikes were just coming into their own as a category. After realizing he would push himself too much on an e-mountain bike \u2014 wisdom gained with age \u2014 he bought a Specialized Turbo Creo e-gravel bike, providing him the ability to quickly get out to trails and still ride off-road.<\/p>\n

\"Saboo
Saboo and his e-bike. (Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His 5-mile range has become a 50-mile range. Now, he is able to push beyond the Golden Gate Bridge and enter Marin, where he fell in love with cycling and mountain biking nearly 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI am very happy to casually ride across the Golden Gate bridge and see the magnificent views of San Francisco. It doesn\u2019t have to be monumental. The fact is, I\u2019m proud of how far I\u2019ve come along.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even still, he is hitting major milestones, once more climbing Mount Tam, a classic Bay Area climb famed for being the birthplace of mountain biking.<\/p>\n

When you see him on the bike, you don\u2019t realize that he has limited walking ability. His descending skills are as sharp as ever, too. The moment we hit a slightly technical gravel descent he was out of my sight.<\/p>\n

\"Saboo
You can\u2019t tell Saboo has difficulty walking when he\u2019s on the bike. Though steep sections can be tricky still and he sometimes uses his bike as a walking aid. <\/span> (Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He has made some modifications to his bike with independence and safety in mind\u00a0given his still-limited walking ability. A dropper post helps him mount the bike from the rear because he can\u2019t swing a leg over the saddle. Tire inserts allow him to keep riding in an emergency or with a flat. And a short-travel gravel fork adds some extra comfort.<\/p>\n

\"Saboo
While some say a dropper post is overkill on gravel, it has become a mobility aid of sorts for Saboo, providing him a way to mount his bike without having to lift his leg over the saddle. <\/span> (Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sharing his story to inspire others<\/h2>\n

Looking back, Saboo\u2019s optimism for his ability to recover may have been born more from stubbornness or denial. \u201cI don\u2019t think I ever accepted my new life. Or maybe I tried my best to ignore it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time, I stayed away from interacting with other paralyzed people. I was in denial and even after I regained enough mobility, secretly I was insecure about my disability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Saboo
\u201cSecretly I was insecure about my disability,\u201d said Saboo. He\u2019s hoping his story can help people in similar situations. (Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That has begun to change in recent years, however, as social media has helped expose Saboo to more paralyzed people.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI slowly started learning about athletes who had spinal cord injury like Tara Llanes, Brook Macdonald, and Paul Basagoitia to name a few. Some have fully regained mobility and are still racing and others have adapted to new sports and are still thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n

With time, and exposure to other athletes, Saboo is opening up about his journey and his struggles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI must admit, I\u2019m still new to sharing my story and overcoming insecurities to open up about my disability publicly,\u201d he said. But he\u2019s finding more reason to do just that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that my journey can serve as an inspiration for many individuals, regardless of their circumstances, by showcasing human bond via cycling, a path to rediscovering independence, rebuilding community connections, and exploring new horizons with a sense of joy and freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, he\u2019s figuring out the best way to make an impact on his own. But in the meantime, you can find him riding in the Bay Area, taking in the simple joy of riding a bike.<\/p>\n

\"Saboo
(Photo: Will Tracy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Published May 17, 2024 11:24AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source URL: https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/saboo-takaki-was-paralyzed-in-a-bike-crash-and-told-hed-never-walk-again-this-is-his-inspiring-journey-back-to-cycling\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Published May 17, 2024 11:24AM Twenty-one years ago, Saboo Takaki crashed his mountain bike while preparing for a race. As an aspiring semi-pro mountain biker working his way up the ranks, crashing wasn\u2019t an unfamiliar experience for him. But immediately he knew this one was different. \u201cI couldn\u2019t turn,\u201d he recalled recently while sitting on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1547009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[71],"class_list":["post-1547005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1547005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1547005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1547005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1547009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1547005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1547005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1547005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}