As part of his rehabilitation after a 2018 motorcycle crash that left him quadraplegic, Kyle McKittrick began looking into adaptive sports and discovered wheelchair rugby. He’s become so adept at it that he now plays for a Las Vegas team and is setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
As part of his rehabilitation after a 2018 motorcycle crash that left him quadraplegic, Kyle McKittrick began looking into adaptive sports and discovered wheelchair rugby. He’s become so adept at it that he now plays for a Las Vegas team and is setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. Credit: McKittrick family photo

Kyle McKittrick was living an active Santa Barbara life in 2018 — working construction, bartending at Pierre Lafond in Montecito, hiking with his dog and playing multiple sports.

Then a motorcycle crash left him paralyzed from the chest down and with partial hand paralysis.

Initially struggling with depression, McKittrick found his path forward through physical activity.

Despite his quadriplegia, he began working out whatever muscles he could control, focusing on gaining independence.

“Working out is my best medication,” McKittrick told Noozhawk. “After I work out, I don’t feel as depressed.”

Linda Robertson, owner of One on One Fitness in Montecito and one of Kyle McKittrick’s best friends, was a big support partner in his recovery. “Working out is my best medication,” he says.
Linda Robertson, owner of One on One Fitness in Montecito and one of Kyle McKittrick’s best friends, was a big support partner in his recovery. “Working out is my best medication,” he says. Credit: McKittrick family photo

His friend, Linda Robertson, owner of Montecito’s One on One Fitness, became a crucial supporter.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic when other clients stayed home, she kept her gym open for McKittrick’s five-day-a-week training sessions.

Through his recovery at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, McKittrick discovered a new purpose.

He now volunteers at the Rehabilitation Hospital, where he once was a patient, and counsels at its annual junior wheelchair sports camp at UC Santa Barbara.

“The smiles on these kids’ faces during the one week of camp is priceless,” McKittrick said. “They tell me it’s their best week ever.”

An active athlete before his 2018 motorcycle crash, Kyle McKittrick has not let his disability slow down his active lifestyle — or his quest for independence.
An active athlete before his 2018 motorcycle crash, Kyle McKittrick has not let his disability slow down his active lifestyle — or his quest for independence. Credit: McKittrick family photo

Murderball, a documentary about wheelchair rugby recommended by one of his physical therapists, sparked a new passion.

He was hooked after trying out the sport at a couple of adaptive clinics run by the Los Angeles-based Triumph Foundation, a spinal cord injury peer support organization.

Despite the nearest team being in Northridge, McKittrick pursued the sport, eventually joining a Las Vegas team.

Rugby has since taken him throughout the United States and to Switzerland, funded through grants and fundraisers.

Now 38 and living with his family in the Santa Ynez Valley, McKittrick has regained significant independence, including driving for the past two years.

He credits his recovery to his supportive family, friends and the adaptive sports community.

“Having an amazing support system in my mom, dad and brother is essential to my well being,” he said.

“I would not be where I am today if it were not for my family and friends who have stuck by my side since Day One.”

His next goal? Competing in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

“It’s close to home so friends and family can hopefully attend,” McKittrick said, embodying the spirit of gratitude and determination that defines his journey.

Judy Foreman is a Noozhawk columnist and longtime local writer and lifestyles observer. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. The opinions expressed are her own.