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'My dream is to become champion' – Young Mexican with disability delivers food on modified motorcycle to fund his career in adaptive dance

"At 20 years old, Daniel Alejandro de la Torre, a young man with motor disabilities from Guadalajara, adapted a motorcycle to transport his wheelchair and now works as a food delivery driver while continuing to develop his career as a para-athlete and adaptive dance dancer. In the images, Daniel is seen loading his wheelchair onto a specially equipped motorcycle and heading out to deliver orders in his job as an app delivery driver. Daniel says the idea of adapting a motorcycle came years ago when he faced constant difficulties using public transportation or private transport services, which limited his ability to study, train, or carry out daily activities. This situation led him to imagine an alternative that would allow him to move independently. "I had that idea for more than 5 years because at that time I was struggling a lot with public transportation (...) because the buses never stopped, (...) and the cars disregarded me, they discriminated against me," Daniel commented. Daniel was born with a congenital condition known as caudal regression syndrome, a rare disease that affects the development of the lower part of the spine and can cause varying degrees of physical disability along with acute deafness. In addition to facing the challenges associated with his disability, Daniel went through one of the most difficult moments of his life this year. The death of his mother, which occurred on January 26, plunged him into deep sadness that led him to rethink his future. "I have been working for about 3 months. The reason I decided to work as a delivery person is because unfortunately I lost my mom in January (...) I was very discouraged (...) I didn't want to do anything, I didn't even want to go out," he said. After overcoming the mourning period, he decided to join the delivery service to generate income and support his family. The adapted motorcycle he uses was made possible thanks to the support of people who believed in his project. "I told them my idea of my project of a motorcycle (...) found a workshop and they practically made it a reality," he added. Thanks to the vehicle modification, Daniel can travel to his work shifts, carry out daily errands, and attend his sports training with autonomy he didn't have before. Beyond his work as a delivery driver, the young man dedicates a good part of his free time to adaptive dance for people with disabilities, a discipline in which he has participated in national competitions and with which he aspires to represent Mexico in international tournaments. His story has generated positive reactions among citizens who believe that cases like his highlight the importance of expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities. "I had never encountered [a delivery person with a disability], honestly, but it's cool. In the end, everyone deserves the opportunity and it's great that it's happening," commented Sebastian Botello, a student and app user. As he continues to roam the streets of Guadalajara making deliveries, Daniel assures that his goal is to keep growing professionally, establish himself as an athlete, and demonstrate that a disability does not define a person's limits."