WEST JORDAN — The first time Johnathan Aubrey rode a bike at 7 years old, he wiped out. He collided with his sister and skidded out on his training wheels — he, and his parents, thought it was the end of his biking career.
Aubrey has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition brought on by brain damage before, during or shortly after birth. It makes physical coordination and speech difficult, much less riding a bike.
“I believed that people who had cerebral palsy could not ride bikes,” Aubrey said. “As long as I believed that, it was true.”
But at 13, he was ready to give it another go — he taught himself how to ride a bike in just one day. There were a few bumps and bruises along the way, but the decision to get back up and pedal was a critical turning point, Aubrey said.
“I want all kids to know that we can gain freedom and greater happiness just by accomplishing hard things,” the West Jordan man said.
Aubrey, now in his 40s and the founder and CEO of Winning Despite Obstacles, has taken this message to companies and schools across the state, but it was only a few years ago that he realized he wanted to write about his experiences.
His recently published children’s book “Am I Different?” talks about his experience growing up with cerebral palsy. The positive picture book is for all kids, whether they have a physical disability or not.
“They can do hard things, and when they do it, it increases their freedom,” he said.
Aubrey hosted a book signing at Storybook Nook in Gardner Village on Friday and will be hosting another July 26 from 1-4 p.m. at the Printed Garden in Sandy.
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