Navy veteran recounts tale of kayak trip through Grand Canyon

TERRE HAUTE Sharing his story is exciting for a Dugger man who made history by becoming the first blind solo kayaker to travel the entire length of the Grand Canyon.

Lonnie Bedwell told the Terre Haute Rotary Club on Tuesday about his experience learning to kayak, and why he chose to make the journey down the Colorado River, accompanied by a support crew from Team River Runner.

To me, you can live in fear and pity, and do nothing, or, you can just live. I have chosen to live life, said Bedwell, who lost his eyesight in May 1997 in a hunting accident when a friend shot him in the face.

At the time, Bedwell had served nine years in the U.S. Navy. His prior military service made him a candidate for Team River Runner, which gives active duty service members and veterans an opportunity to find health, healing and new challenges through whitewater boating and other paddling sports.

Bedwell has worked with the Terre Haute chapter of TRR, located at Indiana State Universitys Sycamore Outdoor Center, where he learned how to handle a kayak despite his disability.

He made the 16-day journey through the Grand Canyon in August 2013. But it was 16 years ago that he lost his sight, and he had gained confidence in his own abilities during that time to feel that he could make the hazardous and physically demanding trip.

At all times while he was in the water, he was surrounded by a team of paddlers and followed by four support rafts. Through their verbal commands, Bedwell was able to navigate the entire trip, and he ended up swimming outside of his kayak only on two occasions near the end of the trip.

After losing his sight, Bedwell said, he was frustrated that he couldnt maintain his property as he had in the past. It was his 5-year-old daughter who took him to his lawnmower, guided him to his barn and watched as he drove around the barn with one hand touching the wall of the structure while he mowed down the weeds.

Later that day, he said, his father got mad at him for taking on the lawn mowing, but Bedwell pointed out the faith of his youngest daughter, who knew he could still do anything he wanted to do. Bedwell said his other two daughters quickly caught on to challenge their father and help him do regular activities.

Those three little girls refused to let me quit, he said. Just to know somebody believes in you makes all the difference in the world. And thats what Team River Runners does for me.

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Navy veteran recounts tale of kayak trip through Grand Canyon