Disabled in car crash, Russian travels 11,000 km
June 8th, 2011 - 9:14 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, June 8 (IANS) A physically challenged man in Russia has covered a distance of 11,000 km in two months from Russia’s Far East to Moscow, RIA Novosti reported.
Alexander Kashin was crippled in a traffic accident 12 years ago involving then-US Consul General in the Russian Far East Douglas Kent.
Kashin embarked on the trip from Vladivostok to Moscow on his electric wheelchair on April 16. Kashin, who was 23 at the time of the accident, received spinal injuries that left him paralysed below the shoulders.
“I covered about 11,000 km (6,800 miles), including over 2,000 km (1,200 miles) in a wheelchair,” Kashin said, adding that he had hitchhiked most of the distance.
During the trip, Kashin experienced several health problems when he caught cold in the Chita region and suffered from fever for two weeks. Then in Russia’s western Siberian Novosibirsk region, Kashin received injuries when his wheelchair was blown into a ditch by passing vehicles.
In the central Russian city of Kazan he was hospitalised because of problems with his internal organs. In Moscow, Kashin injured his leg in a hotel.
Kashin said he had made many friends and received “a bunch of impressions” despite all the challenges.
Criminal proceedings were launched against Kent over the accident but they were dropped due to his diplomatic immunity, and the US recalled him from Russia.
Kashin has sought damages from Kent and the US, but has so far not succeeded.
Kashin said his current trip is not connected with the legal battle but is intended to show the world that disabled people should not stay home and should lead an active life instead.
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Tags: active life, car crash, chita region, consul general, criminal proceedings, diplomatic immunity, disabled people, ditch, electric wheelchair, health problems, internal organs, kashin, kazan, novosibirsk region, ria novosti, russian city, russian far east, spinal injuries, traffic accident, vladivostok