8/14/2019 Mikey_Wheels Newspaper Article
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EDITORIAL
Its a story of cyberspace, adebilitating genetic disease and
anepic cross-country road trip. But mostimportantly its a call to
live life forlove and to love how you live yourlife.
Im on my way out, I feelmyself getting sicker, Mikey says inthe
opening video on his Web site,mikeywheels.com. I dont knowwhat else
to do other than live it up to
the max and do my very best in tryingto squeeze every last drop
and live tothe fullest.
Mikey Oliveri, a 24-year-oldfrom River Edge and the man
behindmikeywheels.com, was born with aform of muscular dystrophy
thatforced him into a wheelchair at theage of 18.
Despite the constant strugglewith his health that began for him
at 6when he became aware of his condi-
tion, Mikey has always tried to expe-rience life and considers
himselflucky and blessed to be in his posi-tion.
Ive been given a privilege to
see things from this point of view. Itsan opportunity to
appreciate life, toappreciate the now and to not takeanything for
granted, Mikey says.
Thats the spirit that led to hisidea to start his Web site, an
onlineblog or Web journal that has chroni-cled his cross-country
trip that startedaround this past Thanksgiving.
After spending the majority ofhis life living with his parents,
Mikeyexpressed the desire to see the country
on his own with friends, meet peopleand, as he said, experience
the beauti-ful randomness of life. His ultimategoal is to arrive in
California wherethe warm weather offers a stark con-
trast from the New Jersey winter thatfurther aggravates his
condition.
Before he left, Mikey recorded avideo he posted online that
explainsthe second purpose of his trip: to sharehis zest for living
with anyone who isinterested.
I dont want somebody to haveto wait to get an illness to realize
thebeauty of life, he said. Im a full-time liver and I love it and
Im goingto spread that and show people whatits like from my wheels,
and maybethey can be as happy as I am. I hopeso. Because if
everybody could be ashappy as I canwell, thered be a lotof happy
people running around, orrolling around.
The story is compelling enoughthat Mikey has been invited to
speakin college classrooms along his jour-ney. He was also the
subject of a shortfilm by Washington Post EmmyAward-winning video
producer PierreKattar. In the video Mikey tells of hisdepression
and suicidal thoughts thathe struggled with while trying to
copewith his condition as a young man.He describes a medical
struggle thatsincluded 27 epidurals, three com-pressed discs in his
back and time
spent on every single legal narcoticfor pain. He talks about how
at 24, hehas the body of a 90-year-old man.
But in the face of extreme ill-ness, Mikeys story is one that is
ooz-
ing with life and happiness. AWeb site, Mikeys on film hfun. One
clip shows him doughnuts in his van in Kanprocess that usually
involvempty parking lot and a car spiwildly in the snow. More
showas he meets new people in Verwheels through sunny Miammakes his
way to Los Angeles
While not everyone can pand launch themselves into adom
adventure like Mikeyeveryone can use Mikey as an ple to appreciate
every day andize the beauty of life.
Currently Mikeys in Cnia, but his high-tech handaccessible van
malfunctionedhe made it to the west coast. Hing situation in
California is utain. And, yet, one still gets theing he loves every
second ofHis sense of humor and confipermeate his writings. A
messwrote from Los Angeles on Dsums it up.
Im in limbo, but for who are interested, more obeautiful
experience to comeIm sure, my various challen
love challenges), and random love life). I cant lose, I can
onout of my chair, which always for a good laugh.
Mikey Wheels:life is not a spectator sportBY THOMAS CLANCEY
OF PASCACK PRESS
A trip to the pyramids in Egypt.
Mikey on another adventure, skydiving.
