ITE C80 was packed Monday Night for Sigma Alpha Epsilon's showing of the documentary "Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life." The movie follows Darius Weems, a 15-year-old from Georgia suffering Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and his 11 friends on their journey to California to get Weems' wheelchair 'pimped' on MTV's "Pimp My Ride."
According to the documentary, DMD is the top genetic cause of death in children, most being boys. None have lived past the age of 30. Travelling in an RV, the crew aimed not only to give Darius the adventure of a lifetime, but to raise awareness about wheelchair accessibility in America and DMD in general.
"'Pimp My Ride' is a show everyone knows. They're clever for trying to draw a crowd in through a popular source," said Kate White, a 2nd-semester animal science major.
Throughout the film, Weems achieves monumental moments in his life such as touching ocean water for the first time in Panama City, Fla., riding a hot air balloon in Temecula, Calif., and making $10 from a bet to eat a spoonful of Wasabi.
"It's amazing how much you can come together under one ideal," documentary creator Logan Smalley said in the film. The movie emphasized the issue of wheelchair accessibility in America, demonstrating the poor wheelchair accommodations of the Gateway to the West as well as the gas station of Weems' first pit stop.
The crew's adventure may have included several unforgettable stops, but they had one ultimate goal in mind: Get to California and get on MTV's "Pimp My Ride." However, despite the anticipation and hopes of making it onto the show, the crew received a letter from MTV stating that the network was unwilling to altar Darius's wheelchair because they didn't want to jeopardize his mobility. The flat screen TV, Playstation, sidecar and speakerphones that Darius was hoping for were no longer a possibility, but the crew was still able to pay West Coast Customs a visit, where Mad Mike attempted to fix his current run-down electric wheelchair.
After getting caught in a tornado on the way home from their three-week excursion, the crew returned to find that Clifton Downee, a member of Full Effects (an Atlanta-based company similar to West Coast Customs), had provided Darius with a new electric wheelchair, complete with all the souped-up features that Darius wanted.
"'Darius Goes West' was inspirational," said Patrick Murphy, a 6th-semester finance major. "It showed me how we take for granted simple tasks everyday that are huge obstacles for handicapped people."
After the documentary, Daniel Epting, Darius Weems, Jason Hees - all members of the DWG crew - took the stage to discuss their experience and answer questions. Opening up about their favorite moments (Darius's was gambling in Las Vegas) and memories, they emphasized the importance of raising awareness about DMD to the youth of America.
Armed with the goal of selling one million DVD's to earn $17 million for DMD and Charley's fund, the crew commented that they knew making it would be the time of their lives, and they do the screenings to empower youth. They even encouraged UConn students to protest for more wheelchair accessibility and to send footage of the protests to their website.
"Not only was the documentary really powerful, it encouraged an audience who normally wouldn't know about DMD to reach out and get involved" said Eileen Stewart, a 2nd-semester pre-education major.
Ending on a list of "Top Ten Reasons You Should Buy A DVD", the 24-award winning crew left the audience with a new appreciation and optimism for life, and Darius serves as a hero and representation of how important "living life is 'til you don't live it anymore."
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