It was just about a year ago to the day that Dave Innes was called in as an emergency fill-in flag bearer for the 2017 Toronto Invictus Games ceremony up at CFB North Bay.
Fast forward one year, and now Innes has become a multi-sport athlete for Team Canada at the international event which takes play in Australia in October.
Today, CFB North Bay held a send-off for the North Bay native, who was paralyzed from the ribs down in a training accident at CFB Gagetown more than 25 years ago.
“It has been almost a year exactly and that is where this all started was the flag ceremony and in speaking to a few people hearing my story they said I should apply for the games next year,” he said.
That started the process for Innes who went through the detailed application process in November and then early in 2018 he was informed he was on Team Canada.
“I applied and did not really think much of it, and did not hear anything back until I received my email in February of this year,” said Innes.
The 46-year-old will be competing in wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing and powerlifting. He is one of 40 athletes chosen to represent Canada. The Sydney Games will attract more than 500 competitors from 18 nations to compete in 11 adaptive sports in total.
In his speech as part of the send-off, Innes thanked his family and his trainers for helping him realize this dream. He also received a signed flag from CFB North Bay.
“This is overwhelming and humbling definitely I was really nervous but it is great to see,” he said.
“North Bay has gotten behind me,” Innes continued noting the words of encouragement he has heard from the community at the gym and even at grocery stores.
Innes is trying to keep this new celebrity status in perspective.
“It is all about going out and supporting my team,” he said.
“The stories of what some of them have been through and what they have triumphed over from when we first met to where they are now some of them, it is amazing. So it is the lifelong friendships that I have now so it is just to go over and experience it with the team that is all it is about right now.”
The 2018 Invictus Games take place October 20th to 27th in Sydney, Australia.
