Hometown: Terrell, TX
Michael "Shorty" Powers was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on October 17, 1951. He grew up loving the outdoors. Fishing has always been his passion. At the age of 17, he was hit by a drunk driver leaving him a paraplegic. In the accident, his aorta was torn severing blood supply to his spinal cord. Shorty saw no reason why the auto accident should limit his lifelong love of the outdoors.
Along with his lifetime friend John Galland, they travelled around Colorado kayaking and fishing. They were two guys in wheelchairs with two kayaks and a four wheel drive. As they looked for opportunities to join others in challenging the outdoors, they found that opportunities for the physically challenged were virtually unavailable. During their Colorado trips, they would go to Craig Hospital, the number one spinal cord rehabilitation center in the country, to get cleaned up and hang out with newly injured patients. No fishing or camping or kayaking was being offered. Turning Point, Paraplegics On Independent Nature Trips, was incorporated in 1979 and immediately began offering activities. Turning Point is still going strong today and celebrating 30 years of changing lives.
Powers was inducted into the Texas Parks & Wildlife Fishing Hall of Fame in 2004.
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