Spring Break
Pimping a wheelchair to reach out to young America
Becky Radolf
Issue date: 3/24/09 Section: Focus
ITE C80 was packed Monday Night for Sigma Alpha Epsilon's showing of the documentary "Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life." The movie follows Darius Weems, a 15-year-old from Georgia suffering Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and his 11 friends on their journey to California to get Weems' wheelchair 'pimped' on MTV's "Pimp My Ride."
According to the documentary, DMD is the top genetic cause of death in children, most being boys. None have lived past the age of 30. Travelling in an RV, the crew aimed not only to give Darius the adventure of a lifetime, but to raise awareness about wheelchair accessibility in America and DMD in general.
"'Pimp My Ride' is a show everyone knows. They're clever for trying to draw a crowd in through a popular source," said Kate White, a 2nd-semester animal science major.
Throughout the film, Weems achieves monumental moments in his life such as touching ocean water for the first time in Panama City, Fla., riding a hot air balloon in Temecula, Calif., and making $10 from a bet to eat a spoonful of Wasabi.
"It's amazing how much you can come together under one ideal," documentary creator Logan Smalley said in the film. The movie emphasized the issue of wheelchair accessibility in America, demonstrating the poor wheelchair accommodations of the Gateway to the West as well as the gas station of Weems' first pit stop.
The crew's adventure may have included several unforgettable stops, but they had one ultimate goal in mind: Get to California and get on MTV's "Pimp My Ride." However, despite the anticipation and hopes of making it onto the show, the crew received a letter from MTV stating that the network was unwilling to altar Darius's wheelchair because they didn't want to jeopardize his mobility. The flat screen TV, Playstation, sidecar and speakerphones that Darius was hoping for were no longer a possibility, but the crew was still able to pay West Coast Customs a visit, where Mad Mike attempted to fix his current run-down electric wheelchair.
According to the documentary, DMD is the top genetic cause of death in children, most being boys. None have lived past the age of 30. Travelling in an RV, the crew aimed not only to give Darius the adventure of a lifetime, but to raise awareness about wheelchair accessibility in America and DMD in general.
"'Pimp My Ride' is a show everyone knows. They're clever for trying to draw a crowd in through a popular source," said Kate White, a 2nd-semester animal science major.
Throughout the film, Weems achieves monumental moments in his life such as touching ocean water for the first time in Panama City, Fla., riding a hot air balloon in Temecula, Calif., and making $10 from a bet to eat a spoonful of Wasabi.
"It's amazing how much you can come together under one ideal," documentary creator Logan Smalley said in the film. The movie emphasized the issue of wheelchair accessibility in America, demonstrating the poor wheelchair accommodations of the Gateway to the West as well as the gas station of Weems' first pit stop.
The crew's adventure may have included several unforgettable stops, but they had one ultimate goal in mind: Get to California and get on MTV's "Pimp My Ride." However, despite the anticipation and hopes of making it onto the show, the crew received a letter from MTV stating that the network was unwilling to altar Darius's wheelchair because they didn't want to jeopardize his mobility. The flat screen TV, Playstation, sidecar and speakerphones that Darius was hoping for were no longer a possibility, but the crew was still able to pay West Coast Customs a visit, where Mad Mike attempted to fix his current run-down electric wheelchair.
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poulson tanner
posted 3/25/09 @ 6:22 PM EST
u are the coolest kid ever and by fare the toughest come to sulphur inermidat school snd ask for tanner poulson i want talk to u so bad
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