• Awarded on: November 28, 2006

René Villemure, Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Governor General's Caring Canadian Award

René Villemure's life was changed forever following a mountain-bike accident, which left him a quadriplegic at the age of 17. Through his optimism and determination, he has transformed his ordeal into a humanitarian challenge: helping others and becoming a role model for children. A dedicated athlete, he has organized rallies for Opération Enfant Soleil and travelled 120 kilometres by wheelchair between Repentigny and Trois-Rivières to raise funds on behalf of sick children. With Association Emmanuel, he has counselled adoptive parents of children with physical or mental disabilities. Now a doctoral student, he regularly visits local schools to encourage perseverance and to promote community service and athletics through charity bike races and walkathons.