AMMON A prominent hot air balloon pilot who tours the nation sharing his experiences with paraplegia gave a keynote address on the final day before the city’s annual Ammon Days event.
The first paraplegic licensed hot air balloon pilot in history, Michael Glen, also referred to as “The Rolling Pilot,” will be soaring above the skies of Ammon from Friday through Sunday as part of the city’s festivities.
Glen discussed his life and how an accident altered it with the public, city leaders, and the media.
Growing up in Roswell, New Mexico, where his father had been a hot air balloon pilot since the 1970s, he made his first flight two weeks after his birth.
He claimed to have been quite active as a child, participating in soccer, volleyball, and Special Olympics. Later, he attended New Mexico State, where he was awarded a volleyball scholarship.
Glen claims that during a Spring Break in 1996, at the age of 21, he was out mudding with friends and family when their truck became stuck. They made the decision to try again the following morning after failing to get the truck unstuck, but to no avail. Glen and his brother decided they needed help and drove off to get it.
Glen claimed that while driving at 65 mph, the truck went off the road, one of its tires blew, forcing it to overturn, and he was thrown from the vehicle.
Glen suffered several rib fractures, a collapsed lung, and fractures to his T-11 and T-12 vertebrae.
“Fortunately, I knew how to fall,” Glen said, referring to athletics and all that. I lost my capacity to use my legs from below after that.
Glen claimed that after spending two weeks in the hospital, he had to learn how to live his life in a wheelchair. His brother was the first to discover him following the accident.
I made the decision to start walking again during that rehab period, but I soon understood that I wasn’t necessarily in control of it, Glen said.
Glen stated that he wants to become a hot air balloon pilot after considering his options.
After years of training and adjusting to life with a wheelchair, Glen finally became a wheelchair-accessible hot air balloon pilot in 2006.
Another balloonist, Bob Romaneschi, requested him to build Joelly when he gained more expertise and had his trailer, where he kept his balloon, stolen twice.
Joelly is the infant, and Joey and Lilly are the parents of the three bee hot air balloons that make up The Little Bees. Glen claimed that although if Joelly is half as big as Joey and Lilly, it is still a huge balloon.
Joelly and the other hot air balloons will be at the Ammon Days.
Glen stated that he has been attending festivals all around the nation since Joelly was founded after discovering he could do more. He made the decision to campaign for seat belt safety by speaking to kids in schools, but he thinks anything is possible.
Glen stated that you don’t have to let a negative experience deter you from pursuing your goals. My leg is no longer functional, but that hasn’t stopped me.
Glen is one of 22 hot air balloon pilots that will fly above Ammon Friday morning during Ammon Days, according to Randal Miller, director of community activities and recreation for the city of Ammon, who spoke to EastIdahoNews.com.
According to Miller, Ammon Days is a free community gathering that provides a fun weekend activity for all family members.
Miller stated that Friday night’s illumination night event at McCowin Park will begin at 8:30 p.m. and go until 10 p.m., during which the hot air balloons will illuminate the night.
With about 150 vendors offering freebies and prizes, the community is welcome to return to McCowin Park on Saturday to celebrate Ammon Days. According to Miller, there will be kid-friendly games and a vehicle display.
Miller would want to remind everyone that there is free transportation available to get to McCowin Park from Hillcrest High School. Shuttles operated by Teton Stage Lines will run between the two venues every ten to fifteen minutes.
There won’t be much parking available in the park. “Just park at the high school, please,” Miller said.
Go to ammondays.cityofammon.us to learn more about Ammon Day.
