Original Story via Jerry Carino (Asbury Park Press)

The first time he competed in the Red Bank Classic 5K, two years ago, Nishan Patel wiped out on a downhill. And it wasn’t an ordinary wipeout, either.  The Middletown High School North 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee was born with a rare condition that results in underdeveloped thigh bones, Patel competes in a three-wheeled specialty wheelchair known as a racer. No one told him the course contained a steep downhill that ended in a sharp left turn.

“I ended up going down that hill at 21 miles an hour,” he said. “And I could not take that left, so I ended up crashing, flipping over and busting up the chair to the point where I could not finish the race.”

In 13 years of wheelchair racing, this was the only time Patel failed to finish. So did the lifelong Middletown resident steer clear of the Red Bank 5K last year? Heck, no.

“I had a friend who tied a rope on the back of my chair like a bungee cord,” he said. “That made sure I didn’t go down the hill too fast.”

Patel found a way. He always has. He can’t extend his right arm more than 90 degrees, so he pushes his chair with only his left arm. He learned how to swim with one dominant arm, too. And he was part of the wrestling team at Middletown High School North, challenging classmates daily despite standing 4-foot-3 and weighing less than 90 pounds.

“It’s truly amazing what he’s been able to do,” said Matt Sirchio, who was his coach at Middletown North. “If you think something’s impossible, just sit with Nishan for five minutes and he’ll change your mind.”

Now 31, Patel’s next goal is to make the U.S. team for this summer’s Paralympics in France. Saturday’s Red Bank Classic 5K will be his final tune-up before the trials. It’s been a winding road with a serious speed bump: Late last year, a car accident wrecked his racer.

“Demolished,” he said.

His dream was on hold. But not for long. After years spent inspiring others, Nishan Patel was about to get that favor returned.

‘I want to be like him’

The first time Sirchio noticed Patel was in phys ed class, during the annual physical fitness test. Patel doesn’t typically get around in a wheelchair; he uses arm braces.

“He’s got his braces on and he’s beating half the kids in the mile because of his effort,” Sirchio said.

When Patel asked to join the wrestling program, the coach was all for it.

“You see his effort and energy every day, he was such an inspiration to all the kids in the room,” Sirchio said.

Nishan Patel at the 2023 Red Bank Classic 5K.
Patel’s impact was so significant that last year, Middletown North inducted him into its sports hall of fame. By then, he was fully ensconced in wheelchair racing. He picked up the pursuit in his late teens through the North Jersey Navigators, an adaptive sports club.

Isabel Cuevas, the club’s co-founder, said he was their only member who pushed his chair with one hand. Over the past few years Patel has become a coach for the Navigators, mentoring kids on and off the track.

“It’s not just about wheelchair racing; a lot of these kids had not known someone else with a disability,” Patel said. “I’m trying to build these kids up and let them know: If you want something and you put the work in, it’s possible.”

Mia Emory, a student at Sayreville High School who trains with the Navigators, has gotten the message.

“I’m inspired by him and I want to be like him because he’s done some amazing stuff,” Emory said. “I’ve never met anybody who works as hard as Nishan does.”

Cuevas could not be prouder about the impact he’s making.

“That fills my heart,” she said. “Not every athlete can be a coach. You’ve got to have the heart to do it. I saw that in Nishan right away.”

It was all coming together until a 17-year-old crashed his Hummer into Patel’s car in Keyport, wrecking his racer. Insurance wouldn’t cover a new one (cost: $6,000), so Patel thought he was out of luck.

A friend convinced him to launch a GoFundMe campaign. Patel had modest expectations. He was wrong.

‘Not a one-man army’

The fundraiser garnered $7,000, enough for his custom wheelchair and a trip to Florida to get fitted. It’s even better than the one he had before. Now he’s training three to nine miles a day, through parks, up hills — no problem.

“It was a great feeling to know that so many people want to see me compete,” he said. “Now I tell them, ‘When I win, you guys are winning with me.’ It’s not a one-man army.”

Next Saturday’s Red Bank Classic 5K is a big deal for him, and not just as prep for the U.S. Paralympic Trials (he’s qualified for the trials in the 100 and 400 meters). It’s significant because the race has a wheelchair division, an expanded group of disabled participants, and even a special push-chair for a runner who wishes to race while pushing someone else.

“I like that I’m not alone,” Patel said. “They’re chasing this dream, too.”

Oscar Salinas, Red Bank’s recreation director and member of race committee, said the event’s inclusivity “has been really well-received” and hopes it continues to expand in future years.

Of course, Patel will warn his fellow wheelchair racers about the hill.

“I want people to see me and think, ‘If he can do it, I can do it, too,’” he said.