MS diagnosis doesn’t dim former BMX champ’s fighting spirit

Rows of shiny trophies perch on a shelf in an out-of-the way corner of Brenda Gildehaus’ home. The former top-ranked bicycle racer and national BMX champion earned those awards on rugged hills and dirt tracks across the country.

“I’ve always been an athlete – I just came out that way,” she said.

And bicycles in particular fascinated her.

“When I was a kid, my dad went to the thrift store and bought three bikes. I took them all apart and built a better one. I was always taking bikes apart and putting them back together.”

Her racing career came to an abrupt end when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 32. Now 49, she uses crutches or a wheelchair to get around. In true Gildehaus fashion, it’s a customized wheelchair – a titanium plate here, a modified seat cushion there.

From her Spokane Valley home, she reflected on her tumultuous journey. Cindy Hval, SR