Art Hope
2005 Hall of Fame Inductee

Art Hope represents all the fine qualities that describe membership into the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame: courage, determination, compassion, and giving back to others.

Raised in Bay City, Michigan he grew up in a Christian home and graduated from Bay City Central High School in 1974. Shortly after graduation he was involved in an auto accident during a Michigan November snowstorm which left him a paraplegic. After being paralyzed, Art was determined to get back to school and work. He completed a certificate program for Tool and Die Design from Delta College and went on to earn his Associates Degree in Mechanical Design Technology. In 2004 he eventually completed a Bachelors Degree in Management and Organizational Development from Spring Arbor University. Throughout his education and professional career, he has continued to rise to the challenge to push himself to succeed even through plant closings and changes in job responsibility.

Beginning in 1989, Art was very involved in competitive wheelchair racing. From 1989 to 2001, he averaged 16 races per year before retiring from wheelchair racing in 2001 and logged over 25,000 miles in competitive racing. When he retired from wheelchair racing in 2001 he had competed on a local, state, and national level, completing more than 20 full marathons including three Boston marathons. He has been active in a statewide wheelchair racing club called Michigan United Sports Chair League Endurance or MUSCLES, which promoted the sport and helped get others involved in the sport. Although as a wheelchair racer he purchased all of his racing equipment, Art formed a working relationship with Bob Hall and began utilizing his design skills to help improve design issues that often times accompanied the equipment.

He has also been involved with Michigan Sports Unlimited, a non-profit organization that helps to promote the value of sports and recreation for individuals with physical disabilities in the Flint-Saginaw-Bay City Area. As part of his thesis project for his Bachelor's Degree, he chose to do a research project of a grant proposal for the organization to help with the funding of their programs.

Art was nominated for this award by his friends at Michigan Sports Unlimited, Jeff Coupie and Brian Sheridan. Sheridan said: "Star athletes win medals, place in the top three, and constantly push themselves to achieve. Legendary athletes not only strive for their own success, but also help foster the personal accomplishments of those around them. Art Hope takes the time to teach, to coach, and to push others to achieve. He passes on his talents by being a role model for success in sports and a true success in life."

Congratulations Art!