He's paralysed but won't quit

Max · 01-15-2005, 02:02 PM

He's paralysed but won't quit
Accident victim desperate to find a job

By Scott Haskins -- For the Edmonton Sun

Chris Roline has lost much since the fateful night of Nov. 21, 2001, when he fell asleep behind the wheel of his truck and woke up to a nightmare.

At least he still has his sense of humour. "I'll do anything," he says. "I'll even be a stripper."

How about "The Wheel Deal" I suggest as a stage name. He laughs like a man who doesn't have a care in the world, not a man with too many to list.

Right now, what he needs more than anything is a job.

"Something to get me out of the house," he says. "I don't want to leech off the government for the rest of my life."

Take it from him, he says, don't lend people money. Not getting it back isn't even the worst thing that can happen.

He had been on a hunting trip with friends. On the way back to Edmonton, cooped up with a dog, his allergies acted up and his eyes felt like they were on fire. He had a couple of beers and took some Claritin when he got home. When the phone rang and the guy said he had his money, Chris decided to drive out to Spruce Grove and get it.

He was on his way back on the Yellowhead, without the money, when he fell asleep and crashed into the ditch.

"He still hasn't paid me back," he says.

Roline was 35, full of hopes and dreams.

He was a pipefitter, married, with two children.

He points out he was not charged with impaired driving, but that was the extent of the good news. The bad news was horrible. "A double whammy," he says. He was paralysed from the waist down and had a brain injury.

"Everything was good," he says. "Then everything changed."

He has virtually no memory of the accident or the next six months. The worst part, even worse than the realization that he would never walk again, was being weaned off the morphine.

"I thought people were trying to kidnap me," he says.

Money was tight even before the accident. When it became impossible to make ends meet on a disability pension, his wife left about a year later.

"Women," he says. "I guess she couldn't handle it. Sure I have had so
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01-15-2005, 02:02 PM	#1
Max Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Montreal,Province of Quebec, CANADA Posts: 15,036	He's paralysed but won't quit He's paralysed but won't quit Accident victim desperate to find a job By Scott Haskins -- For the Edmonton Sun Chris Roline has lost much since the fateful night of Nov. 21, 2001, when he fell asleep behind the wheel of his truck and woke up to a nightmare. At least he still has his sense of humour. "I'll do anything," he says. "I'll even be a stripper." How about "The Wheel Deal" I suggest as a stage name. He laughs like a man who doesn't have a care in the world, not a man with too many to list. Right now, what he needs more than anything is a job. "Something to get me out of the house," he says. "I don't want to leech off the government for the rest of my life." Take it from him, he says, don't lend people money. Not getting it back isn't even the worst thing that can happen. He had been on a hunting trip with friends. On the way back to Edmonton, cooped up with a dog, his allergies acted up and his eyes felt like they were on fire. He had a couple of beers and took some Claritin when he got home. When the phone rang and the guy said he had his money, Chris decided to drive out to Spruce Grove and get it. He was on his way back on the Yellowhead, without the money, when he fell asleep and crashed into the ditch. "He still hasn't paid me back," he says. Roline was 35, full of hopes and dreams. He was a pipefitter, married, with two children. He points out he was not charged with impaired driving, but that was the extent of the good news. The bad news was horrible. "A double whammy," he says. He was paralysed from the waist down and had a brain injury. "Everything was good," he says. "Then everything changed." He has virtually no memory of the accident or the next six months. The worst part, even worse than the realization that he would never walk again, was being weaned off the morphine. "I thought people were trying to kidnap me," he says. Money was tight even before the accident. When it became impossible to make ends meet on a disability pension, his wife left about a year later. "Women," he says. "I guess she couldn't handle it. Sure I have had so http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Column...08/850548.html http://stores.ebay.com/MAKSYM-Variety-Store

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