Mark Ideson

Wheelchair Curling Athlete

Mark Ideson is a three-time Paralympic medalist and World Champion in the sport of wheelchair curling. Before his successful career in curling, Mark was a professional helicopter pilot. In 2007, at the age of 30, he was involved in a helicopter accident resulting in a spinal cord injury that left him living life with quadriplegia. Forced to reestablish his outlook on life, Mark found inspiration from watching the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 and, more specifically, learning about Jon Montgomery's journey to Olympic success. After deciding to pursue parasport, Mark tried a couple of sports before finding his fit with wheelchair curling. Since then, he has represented Canada at nine World Wheelchair Curling Championships and three Paralympic Winter Games, including most recently in Beijing, China, where he helped Team Canada capture the bronze medal. Mark lives in London, Ontario, and is a married father of two children. His life has been one of triumph over tragedy, and he loves to share his story of inspiration, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence.