Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 11, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba Free Kuiv pop u r e quadriplegic has warning for kids audiovisual show tells youth to play it Safe by Bill Redekop Steff reporter i Dan Joanisse was at a drank half a dozen Dove into a backyard swimming and As fast As that his life when he woke up in the Hospital next morning hed been unable to move after striking the Pool Bottom the doctor and his parents pulled Back the curtain and approached with grave he was a Quad and would need a wheelchair for the rest of his it happens All the Nice bad but you know if Joanisse is every teenager in Manitoba will be made to understand it could happen to Joanisse is part of operations Cross an audio video and stage presentation being put together to warn teenagers about preventable operation which has begun production but is still lining up Hopes to take a 65minute presentation to More than students in Junior High and High schools across Manitoba next the cast of operation Crossroads includes an 18yearold woman with Burns on half her and a former youth gang the focus is on making Good Deci Sions when you reach a its geared to Wake kids open ing with a Light and pyrotechnics it then fades to Black and kids hear the sound of rolling skateboard wheels get louder and until they see the showing collide in its it makes kids the sound system lifts you right out of your says Crossroads utile director Rob Steiner wanted to make the show after his daughters 19yearold Boyfriend died while speeding his bran new car along a wet Highway i had this impression that i was invincible1 is in excerpt from the operation Crossroads serfs by Dan describing life Befrs an Aee Dent that left him a quadriplegic i Remen Itier thinking about How its Atlate everything just seen so so fight Back nothing would go i had this impression that was i was doing a lot of stupid things on a ular i never actually stopped 59 and it the which was several years also killed the boys who had just been accepted into an ramp training pro Gram for they were two of the nicest kids who made a wrong Steiner statistics show seven out of 10 youth deaths were scenes and discussions Are planned on such things As water Snow Mobile accidents and rail in which youths have been injured trying to hop trains or play we actually wasted a it was the kids the train ran right into Steiner the video was shot by in rail and is being made available to operation a former gang member was included after a Survey of 60 Stu dents 30 boys and 30 girls in six schools showed their 1 concern was gang a big problem with girls is sexual Steiner then theres Joanisse he will be shown floating in the swim Ming just As he was when the Accident he has mostly avoided the water since his Accident but when producers approached him with the it was something he wanted to to maximize the he will to think about what i was i just did these things because i never believed it could happen to i never thought about the of my actions about How it would affect my family and my i certainly never thought about How i was putting other peo Ples lives at it want too Long before i Learned just How easily it could happen to people like me then Roll his wheelchair out of the screen and talk to the paralysed from the Chest is still Able to use his but has restricted hand he has talked to kids before As part of a program run out of the health sciences there not very specific but i know what there Ive had can i have sex children its ill know when i Joanisse was an 18yearold University dropout when his Accident spending his time drinking and goofing i was just your average when i was in High i was just so ignorant to live life the Way i was Liv ing from Ages 16 to was just going to the bar with drink and driving but his Story is just As much about what Hes done since the always an he returned to University and this at age graduated with a degree in therapeutic recreation from the physical Edu cation Hes hoping for a career in sport management and therapeutic possibly with Parks and recreation or tourism Phil free press Joanisse at Home in his Van plunge into Pool changed his but Hes letting his career path take a Detour for operation Cross pretty excited he says of the after the sports like wheelchair Rugby were the first place i got that peer group he most of the other wheelchair ath letes he chums with suffered their spinal Ord injuries in vehicle Acci but there Are five like were injured from diving into lakes or some suffered their injuries from i know one Guy was injured in a violent he was and the Stab injured his spinal Joanisse is very Clear about Why he wants operation Crossroads to succeed and Why he wants to be part of what i try to get across is these injuries Arent selective to a certain they happen to everyone Politi the the poor and it Hap pens every Hes going to go were very proud of says Harriet director of rehabilitation services with the Canadian paraplegic Joanisse has done contract work with the he recently surveyed the Access Folk Lorama he gets around in a Van designed for wheelchair Hart said Joanisse has an easygoing Way about him and kids Arent afraid to approach him and ask Hes very she ctn Ysler diff emm Tler Odawn Down payment limited time no Security on Neon lease 22d package 132 horsepower engine air conditioning automatic Power radio dual airbags tinted Glass Side Impact beams 36 pm warranty 24 hour Roadside assistance 30 month lease payment 185 1 Price 1997 caravan 1997 stratus payment payment 2980 1000 of own 335 227 299 jul Hiuet Down payment payment 2780 1000 Down Sali Prici 229 284 320 24t 24a litre v813 Speed automatic we 50 t air Down month lease payment a Brailfe i air Onitt Annai i Cusa Ese Rask radio i t Side Impact beams i 96 pm warranty 124 hour assistance dual air big Side Impact beams i fold Down rear seat 138 pm hour roads t Speed is Niroj freight pee it Lively inspection included in pricing Best buy hotline 2846650 de Chrysler 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