Andrew Kooger’s world turned upside down four years ago after he experienced a life-altering mountain bike injury. But he has endured and fought back and now shares his story as a public speaker and as author of his own autobiography, all while developing a career in banking and competing as a para athlete. Earlier in life there was barely a sport in which Kooger wasn’t involved. There was Brazilian jiu-jitsu, tennis, weightlifting, he trained for a marathon and there was mountain biking, something he rediscovered after a bad breakup. When the pandemic hit in 2020, many sports became inaccessible, but he could still hit the trails with his bike. And that led to competitions for Kooger who hails from Hamilton but lives in East Gwillimbury, on Newmarket's border. “One of the last races of the season I was training for I crashed, I don’t remember the crash at all, it was a trial system I had ridden dozens of times,” he says. He looks back at his Strava app that he used to record his ride and still sees the footprints of the paramedics working to get him out of a ravine. He required surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre that night to decompress the spinal cord, but the brain bleeds threatened his ability to survive the surgery. In addition to the brain bleeds, which led to a traumatic brain injury, Kooger had suffered a C6 neck fracture, 12 broken ribs, as well as internal injuries and other spine fractures that sent bone fragments into his spinal cord. “The surgery was 13 hours long, then they kept me in a medically induced coma for nine days” and on day six his family learned he would likely pull through, he says. “The three months in the hospital… they really focused on just learning how to live with it. “For me being an athlete, who had had everything stripped from them, I didn’t really buy into it.” His diagnosis of a T7 injury meant that he was paralyzed below the lower chest. But he wanted to push the recovery. He went to physiotherapy, of course, but also examined alternatives. He was ultimately able to develop his abdominal muscles and lower back. Then came the task of re-building his life. Prior to the crash, he had started a supplements company with his riding partner but Health Canada had put a halt on issuing product licences during the pandemic. After putting the business on pause, they were able to finally get their first product launched last year, followed with the introduction of a protein powder this year. Meanwhile, Kooger went back to work at the bank in asset management. “I love working on Bay Street, I do that full time,” he says, adding that the hybrid working model sees him commuting twice a week in a hand-controlled car. He is becoming well known in Newmarket and Aurora, doing public speaking to school groups and and now paid corporate presentations, although he tries to keep presenting to students at schools and smaller groups. He says he enjoys encouraging people to take control of their lives to pursue positive paths. Those presentations and writing about his experiences left him felling somewhat vulnerable. He then decided to write a book. Defy the Odds was launched last month and is being distributed on Amazon. Through his company, Kooger and his business partner have decided to help at-risk youth access sports, which has been such an important part of his world. So they created a non-profit organization called Defy the Odds Foundation, which they are currently building with the help of their network of contacts. “I’ve worked hard over the last four years since my accident with this vision of what I want to do and build,” he says. “Beyond that, I was able to return to the trails last year with an adaptive (electric assist) mountain bike and I was able to return to the trails that changed my life forever.” Since then he’s become involved in hand cycling, allowing him to compete again. The sensation of have the motion of a self-propelled bike again felt great, he says. He is now a sponsored adaptive athlete with the High Fives Foundation. Kooger enjoys sharing the lessons he has learned the past four years rebuilding his life and tells his audience to live every day by being in control, no matter the chaos that may surround them in the world. But living in isolation doesn’t work. “Most of the pillars I’ve built a network I can trust and lean into,” he says. “You can go fast alone, but you can’t go far.”

Athlete 'overcomes the challenges' following a paralyzing incident

Andrew Kooger’s life changed dramatically four years ago when he faced a significant mountain biking accident. However, he persevered and rebounded, now sharing his journey as a speaker and author of his autobiography, all while building a career in banking and competing as a para athlete. In his earlier years, there was hardly a sport […]

Andrew Kooger’s life changed dramatically four years ago when he faced a significant mountain biking accident.

However, he persevered and rebounded, now sharing his journey as a speaker and author of his autobiography, all while building a career in banking and competing as a para athlete.

In his earlier years, there was hardly a sport that Kooger hadn’t tried. He engaged in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, tennis, weightlifting, prepared for a marathon, and explored mountain biking, which he took up again after a tough breakup. The onset of the pandemic in 2020 made many sports unfeasible, yet he was still able to ride his bike on the trails.

This led Kooger, a native of Hamilton now residing in East Gwillimbury near Newmarket, to competitions.

“One of the final races of the season I was preparing for resulted in a crash; I have no recollection of the fall at all, it was a trail I had navigated numerous times,” he recounts.

He reflects on his Strava app that he utilized to track his ride, still seeing the marks left by the paramedics who worked to rescue him from a ravine. He underwent surgery that night at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to relieve pressure on his spinal cord, but the brain bleeds jeopardized his chances of surviving the operation.

Alongside the brain bleeds, which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, Kooger endured a C6 neck fracture, 12 broken ribs, and various internal injuries along with additional spine fractures that lodged bone fragments into his spinal cord.

“The surgery lasted 13 hours, then they kept me in a medically induced coma for nine days,” and on day six, his family was informed he was likely to recover, he explains. “The three months I spent in the hospital focused on learning to adapt to my new reality.”

“As an athlete who had everything taken away, I struggled to accept it.”

His diagnosis of a T7 injury meant he faced paralysis below the lower chest.

Determined to advance in his recovery, he attended physiotherapy and sought alternative methods. Eventually, he was able to strengthen his abdominal and lower back muscles.

Next came the challenge of rebuilding his life.

Before the accident, he had co-founded a supplements business with his riding partner, but Health Canada paused product licence approvals during the pandemic. After a pause, they successfully launched their first product last year, followed by a protein powder this year.

In the meantime, Kooger returned to his role at the bank in asset management.

“I love my job on Bay Street, and I do it full-time,” he notes, mentioning that the hybrid work model requires him to commute bi-weekly in a hand-controlled vehicle.

He is gaining recognition in Newmarket and Aurora, delivering public talks at schools and now paid corporate engagements, although he aims to continue presenting to students and smaller groups. He takes pleasure in motivating others to take charge of their lives and strive for positive directions.

His experiences and presentations have left him feeling somewhat exposed, which prompted him to write a book. Defy the Odds was released last month and is available on Amazon.

Through his company, Kooger and his business partner have pledged to assist at-risk youth in accessing sports, which have played a vital role in his life. They established a non-profit, the Defy the Odds Foundation, currently in development with the aid of their network.

“I’ve dedicated the last four years post-accident to realizing my vision and building something meaningful,” he expresses. “Additionally, I was able to get back to the trails last year using an adaptive (electric assist) mountain bike, returning to the paths that transformed my life.”

Since then, he has taken up hand cycling, allowing him to compete once more. The feeling of propelling himself once again was exhilarating, he shares. He is currently a sponsored adaptive athlete with the High Fives Foundation.

Kooger finds fulfillment in imparting the lessons he has gained over the last four years while rebuilding his life and encourages his audience to take charge each day despite the surrounding chaos. However, isolation is not a viable option.

“Most of the pillars I’ve established are part of a trustworthy network I can rely on,” he says. “You can move quickly on your own, but you can’t achieve great distances.”