A power wheelchair user who became a video sensation has received a new Edge 3 power chair with iLevel from Quantum Rehab.
Terry Davis became known as “Back Up, Terry” after a video of him went viral in July 2017. In the video, Davis is shown lighting a fireworks fuse in the street. Once the fuse is lit, Davis stays where he is, as an off-camera voice — reportedly, from Davis’s cousin — yells, “Back up! Back up, Terry! Put it in reverse!” The lamentations get louder as the fireworks start to explode.
Fortunately, Davis wasn’t injured in the incident, but the video went viral, with more than 4 million views. As a result, two crowd-funding campaigns were started with the goal of buying Davis a new power chair. In a news announcement, Quantum Rehab said it partnered with Team Adaptive to donate a new power chair to Davis. Money generated by the fundraisers will be put toward an accessible van and home modifications for Davis.
Jay Brislin, VP of Quantum Rehab, said in the announcement, “The world is not designed around seated height, and unfortunately, wheelchair users for too long have been excluded from many everyday functional tasks and interactions beyond their physical reach. Once we learned Terry needed a new power wheelchair, we had to help. We knew iLevel would be beneficial to Terry, not just in escaping lit fireworks, but in regaining some of his independence.”
Annette Carter, Davis’s mother, said, “With iLevel, Terry can reach his Steelers cup in the cabinet, and he is able to get ice and water for himself. Previously, someone had to do that for him. Also, I would always have to kiss Terry’s head when I was leaving the house, because I can’t always bend down. Now I can just lean over and kiss him.”
Davis, who lives in Memphis, Tenn., told CNN, “I was overjoyed [and] … extremely happy. It helps me to move around the house, and I’m able to go to different places with it.”
CNN reported that to celebrate his new power chair, Davis reenacted the fireworks caper that made him famous. But this time, he was indeed able to back up to get out of the way.
