RALEIGH, N.C. — Davis Celestine has been dominating the hardwood of wheelchair rugby for the better part of 12 years now.

What You Need To Know

  • Davis Celestine served in the Army, National Guard and Navy

  • He was injured in Afghanistan in 2001

  • Paralyzed Veterans of America provides resources and lists of event on its site. 

“It means a lot of most of us because it gets us out of the house, off the couch. So it’s a lot of stuff," Celestine said.

A veteran of the Army, National Guard and Navy, Celestine served his country until an injury in Afghanistan in 2001.

With the accident leaving him partly paralyzed, Celestine looked for outlets to channel his need for structure. What he found was wheelchair rugby, and it appealed to him immediately. 

“The competitive nature of sport, the camaraderie, getting others to understand what it means to be part of a team," Celestine said.

Taking part in events like the Paralyzed Veterans of America tournaments has helped Celestine find his community. 

He says his favorite part is that no one pities one another.

“This right here just brings it full circle. You know you get injured, you go through rehab," Celestine said. "They introduce you to a sport to make sure you can be a productive individual, and not just think that they are not A-class athletes, which they are.” 

On top of challenging himself and his teammates through this sport, Celestine says he hopes to inspire other paralyzed veterans to find their passion.

"Limits are only put on someone who doesn’t aspire to do better," Celestine said. "So aspire to be better. To overcome your adversities is a great thing, and this is an opportunity for people to come out.”