Text transcribed from caption: C-45673 HELPING OTHERS HIBBERDENE, South Africa -- Although crippled himself, Michael Kuhn does not allow his own handicap interfere with his efforts to enable sick South Africans of all races to visit the Lourdes shrine in France. In his wheelchair, the 21-year-old resident of Hibberdene recently undertook a grueling “Big Ride” to raise money to help people go to Lourdes. Accompanied by a group of Boy Scouts, he travelled more than 15 miles over a sometimes hilly road. Together they collected more than $500. Michael visited Lourdes himself with a large party of South Africans in 1972 and, although he did not obtain a cure, he benefitted tremendously psychologically. He said at the time: “If only every person who is cut down through an accident, illness or blindness could come to Lourdes, they would find the way into the future.” Through his “Big Ride,” he is helping others find the future. The young man was crippled on his 19th birthday. As he was returning to a naval base after a week’s leave from military training, his car was caught in a gale and hurled down an embankment. He was paralyzed from the chest down. He is now working as a switchboard operator and has saved enough money to pay for a second visit to Lourdes this year. Michael got the idea for his “Big Ride” after seeing a photograph of a 19-year-old girl, Veronica Fortis, who was born spastic and can only feed herself with her feet. Together with his mother, who runs a religious publication called the Christian Family Magazine, they are raising the necessary money to send Veronica to Lourdes. Credit Must Read: RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE PHOTO (TM-DUR-6D-74-DS)