By Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press

A motorcycle accident when he was 19 years old left Dustin Berg physically paralyzed. But it has not dampened his spirit for outdoor and recreational adventures.

Two years after the 2003 accident the paraplegic formed GO Unlimited, an Albuquerque based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing disabled persons with outdoor and sporting opportunities.

“As I recovered from the injury, I realized what I was missing,” said Berg, now 40.

Berg said outdoor recreation was critical in his life and a spinal injury was not going to hamper his ability to hunt and fish across New Mexico’s vast outdoor spaces.

“I met a lot of other people and I realized they were struggling with the same set of opportunities,” Berg said.

According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the physical benefits of active living promote health and wellness, reduces stress, and help people to think more creatively.

“Recreation and adventure enable people to explore themselves, to take risks, to get the blood going, (and) to gain a fresh perspective,” the foundation website says.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation was founded after the late “Superman” actor was paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown off a horse in 1995. He died in 2004.

GO Unlimited’s offerings

Therapeutic recreation such as fishing, hunting, trekking, archery, and wheelchair basketball are activities that Berg and his organization stress as a way for those with spinal cord injuries to stay active.

Berg emphasizes fishing. He said it was one of the first outdoor activities he pursued after his injury.

 Wheelchair accessible pontoon boats were used to provide fishing expeditions across New Mexico, according to the GO Unlimited website.

“Our fishing trips aim to be both relaxing, while at the same time fully capable of being excitingly successful with high numbers of fish being caught,” according to the website.

For those who like to fly-fish for trout, GO Unlimited offers special boar trips along the San Juan River near Farmington.

Along with fishing, Berg said, Go Unlimited offers big game hunts for those who are disabled.

He said hunting is unique and specialized.

“It’s trying to capture the essence of what hunting is,” he said.

GO Unlimited works with landowners, ranchers, outfitters, and guides across New Mexico for hunting experiences, according to the organization’s website.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation says there were very limits to hunting.

“If you can exhale a puff, you can fire a gun,” the website reads.

Berg said the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) works with Go Unlimited to provide hunting tags to the disabled and provides licenses to hunt with family and friends.

 GO Unlimited offers new life for disabled citizens

Every year, approximately 18,000 Americans suffer a spinal cord injury, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCJSC).

Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, followed by falls, violence, and medical/surgical causes, per NSCJC.

“We don’t want people to get lost in our programming,” Berg said.

Go Unlimited is not limited to residents in the Albuquerque area. Berg said disabled people across New Mexico can reach out to the organization for any kind of activity.

People seeking more information may call 505-480-2374.

Mike Smith can be reached by phone at 575-308-8734 or by email at msmith@currentargus.com