By Sheldon Spackman

Daines donating Dance Off wheelchair to Humboldt Broncos crash survivor

May 8, 2018 | 3:40 PM

Duane Daines knows what it’s like to have your life change in an instant, so he’s paying it forward.

The Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer plans to donate the wheelchair he used at the 2018 Sheraton Celebrity Dance Off to Ryan Straschnitzki.

The Airdrie teen was left paralyzed from the chest down following the April 6 crash involving the Humboldt Broncos team bus.

Daines says he just knew donating the wheelchair was the right thing to do once he heard about Straschnitzki’s injuries.

“I was like everybody else and just wanted to help out,” explains Daines. “I talked to his dad and we’ve had a few good visits, so I’m just trying to stay in touch if he wants and he can call anytime.”

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Daines was left paralyzed from the waist down by an accident in the bucking chute in 1995 resulting in a spinal cord injury.

“Your whole world is turned upside down, so I’ll deliver it when the time is right, they’re just getting through it right now.”

Daines says Straschnitzki is at Foothills Hospital in Calgary and has a long journey ahead of him.

“It’s just so overwhelming, it brings back the memories of a long time ago when I got hurt,” Daines admits. “You can’t even comprehend everything. It’ll be good down the line I guess.”

Another heart-warming aspect to the story is that Daines has received a lot of help from his friends to help cover the cost of the top of the line wheelchair.

“We’re just about there, but it’ll get done,” promises Daines. “It’ll retail probably around $5,000 and I’ve got a couple thousand already. It’s a nice chair – top of the line.

“The bottom line is I just want to help out Ryan and his family on the whole thing.”