18-year-old Chase Smith has a positive outlook on life that he’s maintained despite his recent hardships. Chase has participated in extreme sports for as long as he can remember until, in January 2022, he was involved in a devastating dirt bike accident. This life-changing accident resulted in a severe spinal cord injury causing paralysis to his legs and lower body. Chase was relocated from his home in Lockesburg, Arkansas to one of the top rehabilitation centers in the country, the Shepherd Center located in Atlanta, Georgia, where he would spend several months rehabilitating and healing in mind and body.
Thanks to a referral from the team at Shepherd Center, Chase and his family were introduced to dream granting non-profit, Dream On 3 (Georgia). Having established a strong referral relationship with leading healthcare organizations, the nonprofit is building momentum in several new locations across the U.S. For the last decade, Dream On 3 has specialized in making extraordinary sports dreams a reality for kids and young adults who are living with life-altering conditions while restoring joy, hope, and encouragement for the recipient and their family.
Chase’s passion for motorsports fueled his request to meet Travis Pastrana, an American professional motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several disciplines, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, rally racing, and offshore powerboat racing. He also co-founded Nitro Circus, a global sports entertainment leader known for creating electrifying live events and unbelievable original content, and is the founder of Nitro Rallycross. This four-time Rally America champion was in Salt Lake City, Utah this past weekend for the Nitro Rallycross, and Dream On 3 partnered with the sports celebrity to give Chase the motorsports dream of a lifetime.
As a VIP guest of Pastrana and Nitrocross, Chase had full access to the event including individualized attention from Pastrana and the Vermont Sportscar team. Chase’s “never say can’t” mantra keeps him motivated while he dreams of one day riding his dirt bike again. Chase had plenty of time to “talk shop” with Pastrana and absorb as much as he could from one of the best competitors in the sport.
Chase also enjoyed additional surprises along the way including meeting Diesel Dave, Skeeter Builds It, Braun Strowman, and more.
About Dream On 3:
Dream On 3 is a national 501c3 organization headquartered in Charlotte, NC with chapters serving the Carolinas, Colorado, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia. The organization celebrates their 10th Anniversary in 2023 and has recently announced plans for additional chapters across the country. The organization makes sports-themed “dreams” come true for kids and teens living with terminal and life-altering medical conditions including those with mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities.