Paralyzed racer shares inspiring story

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - He's 19, paralyzed and racing cars on the professional level.

A dirt bike accident seven years ago left Michael Johnson paralyzed from the waist down. But the accident didn’t affect the teen’s competitive spirit.

Now he competes on the professional circuit in a modified race car. He reaches speeds of 110 mph.

“With me, I can’t use my feet. It's all on the steering wheel. So all the controls are operated by my hands,” he explained.

Saturday, Johnson will race in the Mazda Road to Indy series. It's the same program 2011 Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon competed in early in his career.

Johnson is up to the challenge.

“It’s going to be really fun racing with all 21 drivers, wheel to wheel, just having a ball at Lucas Oil Raceway,” he said.

Friday, Johnson spent part of his day encouraging patients with physical challenges at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana. He encouraged them to follow their dreams.

He has a few of his own.

“I would really like to win the Indy 500. That would be just icing on the cake,” Johnson said with a big smile.

It’s a dream he believes in.

“I think I can do it!” he said.

One of the patients at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Bill Weaver, who initially doubted his story, said he plans to follow the teen’s career.

“I would never expect someone paralyzed from the hips down to be racing one of these!” he said.

Before they parted, he told Johnson: “I'll be rooting for you!”