Sometimes life comes at you fast.

For Hermin Garic of Utica, he knows that all too well. His journey has been filled with unexpected change. But he just keeps on moving.

“I’m just getting into my comfort zone,” Garic jokes as he positions himself in his racing wheelchair. “This is not the most comfortable position. Often, people go, ‘Man, you have a chair like a Lexus.’ No, not really, it’s more like a Formula 1 [car]."

Getting his high-performance wheelchair is a bit of a process. Hermin, six days a week, in a car built independently for him, hauls his chair across town to train.

That might sound like a bit of a hassle for with those unfamiliar with Hermin, but as you’ll find out, his backstory is filled with resolve.

“It was just basically a lot of physical therapy and surgeries early on,” Garic said.

Originally from Bosnia, Hermin was injured when his family was fleeing a conflict. At age four, Hermin was struck by shrapnel from a grenade. To make matters worse, his ambulance was involved in an accident en route to getting Hermin help. The crash resulted in Hermin being paralyzed from the waist down.

It is a monumental moment in Garic’s life, but make no mistake, it is not a defining one.

“If you feel sorry for yourself, I’ll tell you it’s a rude awakening, because life isn’t just going to hand you things,” Garic said.

After moving to Utica, Hermin found wheelchair racing as a teen. He competed in his first Boilermaker and won a chair similar to the one he rides today.

But just like life, racing has its own challenges. 

“This is probably the hardest part, putting on these gloves,” Garic says in frustration. “They can be annoying. The other gloves you just grab.”

But Hermin can’t sweat the small stuff. This weekend was supposed to be Garic’s 15th consecutive Boilermaker. But thanks to COVID-19, the event has gone virtual in 2020.

This all just becomes another challenge for Hermin to take in stride. The 30-year-old just continues to train around town, buying time to when he can get the thrill of competition.

“My goal is to continue my training and stay healthy until we’re able to go outside and race," he said.