Former United States Army mechanic and logistician Frank Paradise at one point had nine Harley-Davidson motorcycles, three super bikes, two mountain bikes, a kayak and a wall adorned with snowboards in his garage.

The “adrenaline junkie” yearned to be outside. When not deployed, he could be found enjoying his favorite activities.

That all changed when he broke his back in four spots and shattered his face in 36 places while serving.

He found himself paralyzed and did not know if he would ever walk again.

“It was devastating,” said Paradise. “The life I had built for myself was suddenly ripped away, and I was left to pick up the pieces.”

He joined the military in 1992, during the height of Operation Desert Storm, and was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Germany, among others.

After his injury, Paradise was forced to learn to navigate a life from a wheelchair.

Following hospitalization, he was moved to a Warrior Transition Unit, where the military prepares members to medically retire, and it was there he first found out about adaptive sports.

“Following my injury, I was mentally destroyed,” said Paradise. “I would roll out of my garage and be mentally destroyed from seeing all my toys.”

In 2011, he attended his first adaptive sports camp in Crested Butte. At the camp, he was outfitted with a ski bike, which was his first foray into returning to the outdoors he adored.

“When this started I didn’t know if I would be able to walk,” he explained. “But persevering through that opened my eyes back to the possibility of returning to the things I love to do.”

After two-and-a-half years and some nerve regeneration, he was able to learn to walk again.

He then transitioned to Adaptive Adventures in Fountain, Colorado, which through a joint program introduced him to Steamboat Adaptive Recreation Sports — STARS.

STARS eventually helped Paradise transition from the ski bike to adaptive snowboarding.

“Myself and my family started stacking small victories which morphed into bigger ones,” Paradise said. “While I cannot snowboard like I used to, I have really enjoyed adaptive snowboarding.”

This past winter, he tried skiing again.

“I got more than 50 days in,” he said. “That’s pretty good considering the lack of snow, and my body’s condition.”

STARS welcomes veterans from across the country each year to four camps — rafting, biking, fly-fishing and a dedicated women’s camp.

This past week, STARS has been hosting its fly-fishing camp, which Paradise has been attending.

“I attend all of the camps,” he said. “I love and appreciate everything STARS has done for me.”

An accomplished photographer, a vast number of Paradise’s photographs decorate the main building of the STARS ranch.

“It’s my way of giving back,” he said. “They’ve helped me so much, and it’s just a little bit of beauty I can give back to them.”

Since 2014, he has exclusively attended STARS camps. When not at STARS he bikes, hunts and drives four-wheelers in his hometown of Cedar Valley, Oklahoma.

“STARS has taught me that life isn’t over,” Paradise explained. “Life is not defined by my injury.”

He may not ride a snowboard, ski or ride motorcycles like he did prior to his injuries, but he does not let that stop him from continuing to pursue his passions.

He’s still not 100% and probably never will be. But through STARS, he has found work-arounds and solutions to situations needing attention.

“When I ride my electric mountain bike, my left leg often goes numb,” said Paradise. “I don’t use the motor until I have to, but once my leg goes numb, I have to turn it on.”

Paradise said that his injuries eventually will force him back into a wheelchair. But until that day comes, he is dedicated to living life to the fullest.

“If I don’t do the things that make life special, then I have failed everyone who helped me along the way,” Paradise said. “From the doctors to the physical therapists, I owe it to them to be the best version of myself I can be.”

He’s currently building a homestead and regenerative farm in Oklahoma. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in May.

“There is nothing short of losing the ability to walk that will stop me,” Paradise said. “I am greater than my injury.”