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by jon bosworth
jaxvillain@yahoo.com
Mark Zupan is a gimp. I’m not just saying that because he is paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair. I don’t usually call people in wheelchairs “gimps,” Mark Zupan does. Or at least he calls himself that in the title of his new book. Zupan is crippled for life, but he’s not the sort of guy you would refer to as “trapped” in a wheelchair. He’s perfectly aware of himself, his surroundings, and his condition. He isn’t afraid of it.
In college Zupan was an athlete with a bright future, but no one really knew just how bright. One night, any old night for a college student, he was kicking back and drinking some beers. After a few too many he climbed into the bed of his friend’s pickup truck and passed out. Wikipedia tells it like this:
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“After a soccer game on October 14, 1993, Zupan got drunk with teammates and then crawled into the bed of his buddy, Chris Igoe’s, truck to sleep. A short time later Igoe left the bar and began driving home. The truck was involved in a collision and Zupan was thrown into a canal, where he held onto a branch for 14 hours until being discovered by a passerby.”
I can’t even hang onto a pair of sunglasses for 14 hours. And whereas this harrowing tale has many possible endings: A) After his rescue he became a beacon to alcoholic teenagers everywhere to turn their lives around and quit drinking. B) After recovering from the accident and finding himself in a wheelchair for life, he gave up hope of ever becoming an athlete and has since started a family. C) He awoke in the hospital and fell into a horrible depression, but Jesus made him a new person and now he travels to youth groups around the country sharing his new take on life! Never would you guess the real outcome. You couldn’t have, because even Zupan himself couldn’t fathom that outcome.
“We didn’t realize any of this would come out of it.”
When he came to terms with his injuries, he set that steely determination that saved his life in a ditch on the side of the road, to achieving the impossible and regaining use of his legs. Although more Hollywood stories would pick it up from there, reality wouldn’t allow him to regain his legs. This is paralysis. It’s an unfortunate reality. But still Zupan didn’t stop. He took that steel will and athletic ability and became a two-time quad rugby national champion, the 2004 quad rugby player of the year, and an Olympic quad rugby bronze metalist. Quad rugby is a version of rugby played by quadriplegic athletes. Sound easy? Watch the movie Murderball, then tell me if you think it looks easy.
When Zupan was competing in the Paralympics in Sweden, Dana Shapiro, who was covering the event for Maxim Magazine, thought his story would make a good documentary.
“We knew it would be a good movie. I mean we’re cool, so it’s got a good subject matter, but we had no idea it would be as good as it was.”
So the movie Murderball was made about Zupan and their quad rugby team, but for him that is still only half of the story. Well, actually less than half of the story since he’s barely 30 years old and already a star of the big screen, the small screen, and a published author. Murderball was a huge success and Zupan has become something of a celebrity.
“I’m no celebrity, I’m just recognized.”
After all of the press appearances and adjusting to life with publicists following the movie, Zupan was invited to make an appearance on the NBC show Friday Night Lights to play a character that broke his neck playing rugby.
“Peter Berg called me and we sat down. He loved Murderball and when he said he was going to do Friday Night Lights, I said ‘let’s do it.’ He’s a really cool guy.”
Zupan will be “recognizable” at Barnes & Noble in Mandarin on Monday, November 27th where the Murderball star will be signing copies of his book Gimp.
“I’m extremely busy, between training and the book, I’ve just been busy. Is it hard to juggle my life? I’m just a good juggler, I guess.”
The book isn’t your traditional inspirational tale. Zupan still drinks as hard as he plays, and man does he play hard, and he doesn’t lift himself up and look down on all us less evolved folks that may have use of our legs, but could never hold onto a branch for 14 hours.
“I’m just living life. If people find inspiration, great. It’s cool to have people take inspiration out of it, but that’s not my main objective.”
Zupan’s life has changed entirely at least twice in the last fifteen years, and probably many more times than that. From the accident through to the book deal, there have been so many changes. Professional athlete, author, movie star, and now television star, he has already lived more lives than most Americans ever will.
“It’s amazingly surreal. Life is completely different. With the outcomes of the movie and the book, it’s been wild. Being able to experience what we have, it’s been wild.”
So what is in the works for Zupan after the book tour?
“Training. Get back to some semblance of normalcy. I’m going to continue doing public speaking at colleges. I probably have to work on my relationship with my girlfriend. All the fun stuff in life.”
Although he wouldn’t call himself a star (he’s amazingly down-to-earth) there are rumors that a bio-pic is in his future. He didn’t mention this, but the web is abuzz with the rumor. And when the web is abuzz about a rumor about you, you are something of a star. The only insider tip he’d give me was to look for the public service announcement about handicapped parking spots. He swears it will be funny, but even funnier will be the outtakes.
“There’s an outtake that is even funnier [than the commercial]. That will probably show up on You Tube.”
Mark Zupan will be at the Mandarin Barnes & Noble to sign copies of his book Gimp.
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