New Ms. Wheelchair Indiana wants to fight for disability rights across US

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Shauna Wilson, a mother of four from Newton County, was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Indiana by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday. 

Shauna was chosen by the “Ms. Wheelchair America” contest, which has been around since 1972. Winners are selected for their ability to best represent people with disabilities.  

She said her new crown represents perseverance, but it took years for her to live an unexpected yet thriving life in a wheelchair.  

Shauna was 5 months pregnant when a semi hit her car 20 years ago. Her baby didn’t survive, and doctors told her she was paralyzed from the chest down.  

She chose to keep going, relearning how to do everyday things and even meeting and mentoring other women in wheelchairs. 

“When I was in the hospital, my mother asked, ‘Do you know you’re paralyzed?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Well, you haven’t said anything.’ I said, ‘Well, what does Randy (Shauna’s husband) think?’” She said, ‘He doesn’t care.’ And I said, ‘OK, well I guess I don’t care, either,’” recalled Shauna.  

Now she wants to spend her reign as Ms. Wheelchair Indiana creating real change by fighting for disability rights, not only here in Indiana, but also across the country. 

She said she’s heading to Arkansas this summer to compete for the Ms. Wheelchair America title.