For Ryan Kinnear, getting out into the outdoors takes more than loading up a truck and grabbing a rifle. It takes ingenuity, teamwork and years of figuring out a way to do what he loves.
Kinnear was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that has left him with only the use of his thumbs. But it hasn’t stopped him from pursuing a lifelong passion for hunting and fishing.
With his dad, Bruce, helping turn his ideas into reality, Ryan has engineered a customized shooting system that allows him to aim and fire with limited movement. He controls his aim with a device pressed against his cheek and fires using a switch near his thumb.
The system has helped him take down everything from small game to bull elk. At the shooting range, the father-son team’s setup often draws a crowd as people watch Ryan line up his shots and break clay targets.
Ryan brings the ideas. Bruce helps make them work. Together, they’ve spent years finding ways to keep the adventures going.
Now, Ryan shares his outdoor experiences on Facebook and other online platforms, reaching people who may be facing challenges of their own.
He says people often contact him to explain how his story has encouraged them to reconsider what they’re capable of doing.
For Ryan, the message is simple: don’t let what you think you can’t do stop you from trying.
Watch the full story in the video player above.
Uplifting Arizona
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