COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A lot of us remember some of those big group projects we did in school. Few of us had the honor of being part of a project that truly changed someone's life.
There was this thing I was always told growing up. The friends you make in college are the friends you keep the rest of your life. That'll probably be the story with one group of college students who met up again Thursday, though they're actually not all from the same school. Several were from Tennessee Tech University. Another student, Michael 'Vhan' McGuire, goes to Nashville State Community College. There's a lot in common among them.
"Definitely with the hunting part," one of the students said.
In McGuire's case, being out in the woods is where he feels home.
"Ever since I was a kid, we'd always go out on overnight kayak trips, always be outside hiking," he said. "I just loved the outdoors. Still do."
It was October 2024, McGuire was riding his motorcycle home on a back road.
"The only thing I remember is leaving Bible study and waking up in the ICU," he said.
McGuire's family told him he'd crashed into a creek
"There was water," he said. "I was submerged up to my neck. I was probably there for forty minutes until somebody found me."
In his wheelchair, McGuire wasn't sure he'd be able to get back to those things he loved.
"After getting paralyzed, it's hard to do that stuff now," he said.
Then, a friend put McGuire in contact with a class at Tennessee Tech University. That's when he met Christa Irby, Bradon Hopper, John Avery, and Luke White.
"Dynamics and machinery!" said Irby, naming their class at TTU.
That's taught by Dr. Stephen Canfield.
"We design machines," Canfield explained. "There's a component of the class where I have my students test their skills against a real world problem. Vhan is very capable. He has this rich life, but he wanted access to the outdoors."
What could they do to help McGuire?
"Yeah, we're gonna get into some trouble on this thing," McGuire smiled.
"Internally, we deemed it the Chariot!" laughed White, referring to what the class created.
McGuire sped by in an adapted wheelchair created by the class.
"It goes around 30 miles an hour!" McGuire laughed.
"Adapted wheelchair is the closest thing we can call it," Avery explained. "It's more a four-wheeler that is wheelchair accessible."
"They came up with some good ideas, did some research, put this idea together," Canfield added.
"It can go over some rocky terrain, it has very good suspension on it," Avery continued. "We took two mountain bikes and pretty much welded them together to fit his needs. It can do anything a mountain bike can do."
"For an entire year, I didn't see the things I love to see, being out in the woods and whatnot," McGuire said.
Now, he's back out in the places he loves.
"I think we knew from day one of getting the project, it was going to be more than a grade for all of us," White said.
Could be true what they say. Friends you make in college are friends for life.
"They're great," McGuire nodded. "They're a great group."
By the way, if you'd like to help McGuire with his medical expenses, visit here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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- Lelan Statom
