It’s late August again, and for Arkansas-native Josh Fohner, that means it’s time for another National Ability Center Summit Challenge.
Fohner and his father Mike have been participating in the state’s largest all-abilities cycling race since 2018. Josh suffered a traumatic brain injury back in 2016 when biking home in Colorado, which would cost him his ability to walk, talk and use his hands.
Josh, a navy veteran, has been making significant progress ever since his accident and subsequent 15-month coma. He first got into adaptive biking when Mike suggested he ride a fundraising race for Josh’s care expenses.
Mike said he’s able to see the positive impact cycling and the Summit Challenge week have on Josh. The family comes out to Park City every year for the event and also participates in a three-day, lead-up veterans cycling camp, also put on by the center. They camp out on the Jordanelle Reservoir and relax when not on their quad bike.
“I said I’d like to do a bike ride of some kind and raise some money for your therapies. I think that’d be a good thing,” said Mike. “About a week later, he taps back and says, ‘I want to ride with you,’ and I’m thinking ‘good glory, how is this even possible?’ You don’t want to say no, so we started trying to figure out what to do.”
Surrounding Josh is a returning group of veterans at the center’s camp. Mike said the community is something they never would have had in Arkansas.
Josh and Mike once completed a 908-mile ride from Colorado back to Arkansas.
Mike credited the National Ability Center with making Josh and others feel right at home. He said their staff makes all the difference, alongside their amazing facilities and programming.
“The thing that makes NAC work isn’t all the bells and whistles — it’s the people and the way they connect with each individual,” said Mike. “They’re so sensitive to your needs and making sure they’re accommodating for that. If you’ve got an issue, they bend over backwards to try to help solve it.”
The center supplies the Fohners with all the support and equipment they need. This puts Mike at ease, who previously worried the organization had never seen someone like Josh before.
This week, Josh scaled a climbing wall with the aid of the center’s equipment.
Mike uses race weeks as a barometer for Josh’s condition. He notices considerable improvements in his cycling each year. Josh can now peddle for the entirety of their 50-mile race.
Josh and Mike have moved up from the 25-mile Summit Challenge route they started doing. Mike thinks they could bike farther than 50 miles right now. However, they want to be able to enjoy themselves and the Park City views.
The Fohners are always surrounded by veteran friends when biking.
Mike said Parkites should appreciate all that their town offers, from beautiful landscapes to resources like the NAC. They’ve considered moving here to set Josh up best for his future.
The family is accepting donations for Josh, the Brain Treatment Foundation and his documentary through his website at allinforjosh.org/about.
Josh and Mike will head off on their route Saturday morning from the NAC main ranch. All of the Summit Challenge’s funds go towards organization programming throughout the year, like Josh’s veteran cycling camp.