High Fives Foundation
Featuring Mike Garrison
The High Fives Foundation is on a mission to change the lives of adaptive athletes.
While the nonprofit started their philanthropic movement on the ski hill, they now also welcome those who have suffered from a life-changing spinal cord injury sustained after a motocross accident.
Each year, the Foundation holds a two-day camp called Motodemption where their athletes, professional guests like Doug Henry, and one annual grant winner come together to ride adaptive dirt bikes and specially-modified buggies around Leadville Motocross Park in Leadville, Colorado.
The adaptive dirt bikes are built by Aaron Hill, welding and metal fabricator by trade, and Davey Gonzales, organizer of contacts and funding. Gonzales was first inspired by the idea of Motodemption after helping former motocross racer Aaron Hill back onto a motorcycle. Hill was riding moto and broke his back, leaving him paralyzed, and the two wanted to inspire other adaptive athletes.
Each adaptive bike is fit to the specifications of the rider. Depending on the driver’s injuries, the bike must be built and welded to include safety modifications and unique hand controls for the shifter and clutch.
This year, motocross racer Mike Garrison was the winner of the Motodemption grant. Garrison broke his T5 and T6 vertebrae while racing motocross when he was 18 years old, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Garrison was invited to Motodemption on August 27, 2021 to ride a specially-modified Husqvarna 350, which was gifted to him at the end of the day.
