By Martin Chang
Editor in Chief
David Mensch traveled with his son Zach from Bakersfield to Sacramento in only his wheelchair. His son rode with him on his bike.
He went on this amazing journey to prove that anyone disabled or not, can achieve what they put their mind to.
David Mensch, who has Cerebral Palsy, did the run to send a message. He wanted people to know that disabled people can do anything anyone else can.
“I wanted to raise awareness; that people with disabilities are not stuck in a house. Don’t give up, keep moving forward,” said David Mensch.
The run was also done because he wanted to raise money for the Kern Assistive Technology Center. He said that he raised over $50,000 for that organization.
During their run, the father and son team took the “back roads” of California. They both found the beauty of the northern part of the state particularly striking.
“Pass the farm houses and the river, you can see the pure beauty of the grass and the trees that grow right next to it,” said Zach Mensch.
The run was also not without it’s challenges. Both David and Zach described the run as “tiring.” They also faced challenges like high-speed winds, mud and flat tires.
“At one point, we were hitting a 30 mph headwind,” said Zach Mensch. “Adding dust to that really doesn’t work, because it kind of hurts.”
For David, the most challenging part was the first day. They travelled 170 miles in 22 hours that day.
Zach Mensch thinks that without each other they would not have made it to Sacramento.
“There were a couple of moments where we were so tired we were like trying to push each other away, but we had to be there for each other. If we didn’t, I don’t think we would have been able to make it as far as we did, if we didn’t push each other.”
When David and Zack passed the 170-mile mark in Madera, they broke the world record for the most miles travelled in a motor-powered wheel chair in 24 hours.
This moment was special for David because he had graduated high school in Madera. He was the first disabled person to graduate from Madera High. He described “the whole town” being there. His parents were also there.
Zach Mensch describes breaking the world record in Madera as his most memorable moment in the run.
“[It was amazing] having so many people there, supporting him on his world record, having the support of the Madera people on his run up there.”
Even as they were leaving, the town supported them.
“You can kind of tell they were rooting for us,” said Zack Mensch.
“We were going over a bridge and all you hear is ‘beep beep’ right under honking.”
Zach felt a very strong sense of accomplishment as he reached the end of the run and when the people of Madera cheered on his father’s world record.
“It’s a sense of accomplishment inside. Once you get there, it’s just amazing. When I got up there, I shed a tear, a tear of accomplishment,” said Zach Mensch.
Throughout their run, the people of California showed their support.
“[I learned] how much support we have up and down this state. Even if they barely know you, they’ll come out and support you,” said Zack Mensch.
Zack tells a story about how people from a honey farm showed them a lot of kindness.
“We passed through this little honey farm and we stopped there. They came out and said ‘you’re that guy from the news.’ I’m like ‘yeah that’s my dad over there and we’re going to Sacramento.
“Then they’re like ‘wow, let me get you some honey.’ It was the nicest thing ever that could ever happen.”
Their record-breaking run was chronicled in the film “David and Zach’s Quest to Sac.”
It will debut at The Fox Theater on June 8th. Zack hopes that people seeing the film will see that anything is possible.
“Don’t let anything stop you,” he said. “You might not make it. Keep moving forward, even if people are telling you that you can’t do it. Show the world you can do something in life. Keep pushing.”