![]() The beauty of the IKAN Bowler is that it allows any power wheelchair user the freedom of bowling that mimics the standard bowler. It’s incredible to share the joy and empowerment with those who are severely physically limited in what they can do.” “Anyone who can operate a chair should be able to bowl. “Our goal is to get people back into the game of life,” Bill says. The name is derived from the Greek word “ikano,” which means to enable. The two men refined their invention and created the IKAN Bowler, which has since been approved by the American Bowling Congress and the Women’s International Bowling Congress. Putting their heads together again, Bill and Claude began looking at a ramp-style apparatus, which would give the ball momentum and take the pressure of creating more speed off the chair operator. While it did work, the speed of the ball depended solely on the speed of wheelchair, which wasn’t very fast with Bill’s “sip and puff” method. Their initial idea produced a device that fit over the wheelchair’s footrests and allowed the operator to “push” the ball down the alley. A retired engineer, Claude decided to see if he could find a way to fulfill Donna’s wish for Bill.Ĭlaude met Bill, and the two men instantly bonded. While talking with court volunteer Claude Diguere, Donna shared her disappointment that her stepson could no longer bowl, which was one of his favorite activities prior to his accident. He was ready to begin his senior year at the University of Florida in August 1997 when he tripped over some exercise equipment in his bedroom and fell, an event that changed his life forever.Īfter months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Bill came home, armed with a positive attitude and a desire to be involved in as much activity as he could handle from his wheelchair.īill lives with his dad, Jim, a commercial realtor, and stepmom, Donna, who is a Lake County judge. He uses a power wheelchair for mobility.Ī resident of Leesburg since he was a child, Bill graduated from Leesburg High School. Like the late actor Christopher Reeve, Bill can’t move or breathe on his own. You may not think that’s something to brag about until you discover that Bill is in a wheelchair. Bill Miller’s bowling average is in the triple digits. ![]()
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