The sprint that outlined him: Native man’s legacy that he was too humble to see

BLACKFOOT, Idaho – When Scott Hancock died of most cancers in Might, his spouse Colleen knew his story was far more than a date of delivery and a date of dying.

“If Scott had written his personal obituary, it will have been easy: Born November 18, 1946 – Died Might 18, 2025,” mentioned Colleen. “I requested him, ‘What in regards to the sprint?’ His actual story lies within the sprint between these two dates.”

Scott Hancock by no means believed he made a lot of a distinction in his life. Nevertheless, now that he is gone, his spouse has made it her mission to let individuals know that he did make a distinction. An enormous one.

He grew up in Pocatello within the Fifties. At age 4, he went to mattress one night time a wonderfully wholesome, blissful little boy. The following morning, he wakened unable to stroll. His mother and father rushed him to St. Anthony Hospital, the place docs, recent from coaching at a polio clinic again east, acknowledged the indicators instantly. The polio virus had attacked the nerves in his legs.

He was despatched to the Elks Rehabilitation Heart for Polio in Boise, the place he was fitted with leg braces to assist assist his weight and returned residence. Regardless of this drastic and sudden life change, his mother and father refused to deal with him in a different way.

“He was the youngest of 5 kids,” Colleen Hancock mentioned. “He was anticipated to do his chores similar to his brothers and sister, behave appropriately, and never complain. He believed that made him the person he grew to become — a daily one who simply occurred to have a incapacity.”

He discovered to reside resourcefully at a younger age. As somewhat boy, he offered worms, dug for Island Park fishermen, shined his brother’s sneakers for a nickel, and stuck curler skates for neighborhood children — all to purchase small items for his mom.

Again then, Pocatello colleges weren’t positive how one can accommodate college students with disabilities, and a few individuals feared they could catch polio by touching somebody who had survived it. His mom fought for her son’s proper to an training. She ultimately helped set up the Handicapped College at Idaho State College for Scott and lots of different college students.

He returned to public faculty in seventh grade, utilizing his crutches and a wheelchair to get round. He went on to graduate from Highland Excessive College’s very first graduating class in 1964, later enrolling at Idaho State College as an artwork main.

That was solely the start of his lengthy checklist of accomplishments, in accordance with Colleen Hancock. He helped write Idaho’s Individuals with Disabilities Act laws and served on a number of state councils for individuals with disabilities. He directed a senior program in northern Idaho, touring the state to arrange meal providers and safe monetary assist for seniors in want.

Later, he shifted gears into building. For 34 years, he constructed and transformed properties throughout northern Idaho doing a lot of the work crawling on the bottom or from his wheelchair.

“He discovered a unique method of fixing issues. He stored a marble in his pocket whereas he was constructing homes. He put the marble on the ground to see if it rolled to find out if the flooring have been straight,” mentioned Colleen. “He by no means let being in a wheelchair cease him from doing the issues he wished to do.”

He made pals with children who had quick vehicles, hitching rides till he might afford his personal car. When he lastly purchased one, he retrofitted it with hand controls and drove it looking and fishing in Island Park and all through southeast Idaho.

Considered one of his biggest joys was driving his Honda Gold Wing bike retrofitted so he might drive it from his wheelchair.

He additionally wrote extensively, contributing to the Island Park Information, Blackfoot Morning Information and publishing in Idaho Journal, American Motorcyclist and Sports activities Afield.

But he typically dismissed his work as insignificant. “There are such a lot of others who do a significantly better job,” he would say. “These are simply foolish little tales anybody might write.”

He was requested many instances to jot down a guide about his life, however all the time mentioned, “No person would consider I actually did these issues.”

When the Hancocks ultimately returned to southeast Idaho, settling in Blackfoot, he reluctantly “retired.” That is when he started writing the “little tales” about his life that grew into two volumes of “Tales from the Excessive Lonesome.” They have been so nicely acquired that he started writing a 3rd quantity earlier than his dying.

Colleen Hancock has since printed Quantity 3, now obtainable on Amazon, fulfilling the promise she made to her husband to publish it. She plans to mix his remaining writings right into a fourth guide, creating one last giant assortment.

Scott’s books can be found by means of Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at Kesler’s Market in Blackfoot.

However she emphasizes that writing was only a small a part of his accomplishments and who he was.

“He raised kids who weren’t his personal and liked them as in the event that they have been. He gave from his coronary heart, made pals all over the place, and liked being with individuals,” she mentioned.

For Colleen Hancock, sharing his legacy is about honoring the influence he by no means totally noticed in himself.

“I’m not the author. My husband was. His story is certainly one of resilience. I can solely attempt to categorical what I noticed and discovered from him and share a few of his sprint with you,” she concluded.