Update of Doug Henry

by News Channel 8's Alan CohnPosted June 26, 20085:15 PM
(WTNH) _ In the world of motocross, Connecticut's own Doug Henry is a legend. He talked with News Channel 8 about his career ending and life changing accident that has not slowed him down.


Few athletes have dominated any sport like Connecticut's Doug Henry ruled motocross. Three national championships and a rider of the year award are among his accomplishments.
"I was at the top level there I reached the peak. It was my time," Henry said.


And few athletes have been able to battle back from injuries as devastating as the one in 1995.
"I went faster than I ever went before," Henry said. "I flew out too far and ended up breaking my back."


To reclaim that top spot again Henry endured months of rehabilitation.
"I almost called it quits because of how difficult it was to get up to speed. But I did get back up to speed," Henry said.


"He was a man on a mission," his wife Stacey said.
He came back and won a gold medal in the SuperMoto at the 2005 X-Games.
If that was all there was to Doug Henry's story it would be a darn good one. But it's only the beginning. Henry and his family overcame an incredible challenge but nothing like the one they were about to face.


This time there were no cameras when Henry's bike slid out from underneath him after hitting a patch of oil at a track in Florida last year.

"It's like hitting ice," Henry explained.

He and his bike hit the concrete wall.

"I knew immediately this was probably my last race," Henry said.


Doug Henry was paralyzed from the waist down. And within days, Doug's wife Stacey received a devastating diagnosis.


"She discovered breast cancer. I mean it was like we have two things we are going through but we are going to go through them together," Henry said.


"The instinct for me was to take care of him while I deal with my own health issues. I had to back off and that's how he wanted it," Stacey said.


Together and separately Doug and Stacey battled paralysis and cancer while raising two kids, 12-year old Brianna and 9-year old Ian.


"The kids aren't looking into the future and thinking about what mom and dad can't do. They want to know what we are here to do today," Henry said.


And what Stacey and Doug are here to do is live. Doug has installed hand controls in every piece of equipment on the family's 89-acre Torrington Farm. Using his upper body strength, he climbs into his bulldozer and moves piles of wood. When he's done, he climbs back into his Rhino, straps his wheelchair to the side and drives around the property.


He's built three motocross courses so neighborhood kids have someplace to ride.
"The first thing they do is look over and see if I saw what they did," Henry said.
And every day, Doug Henry straps on leg braces, pulls himself to his feet and by sheer will, walks by shifting his weight side to side.


"The repetitive motion is supposed to regenerate the nerves. I'm going by theory but it gives me something," Henry said.


"That's what I cherish and love about him the most. It's not only that attitude he applied towards racing it's truly his attitude towards living...and he's living differently now but it's still he puts a lot of heart and passion into everything he does," Stacey said.


Because today, Doug Henry isn't thinking about the championships he's won or the acclaim he's received. Today, he defines winning as being able to stand along the fence to watch his daughter play softball.


"I think this makes all the hard work I've put in worth it to see my kids play and have some fun a big smile that's what I like to see them having some fun," Henry said.


Henry is still involved in supermotocross by sponsoring Doug Henry's New England Supermoto Grand Prix in August at Stafford Motor Speedway.


all the best to Doug and Stacey!!