Who is Kandi Kane?

I was born Candice Caesar, my mother nicknamed me Kandi. After my accident Dec 5, 1999. I left my wheelchair quickly to walk with a flatbed crutch and a cane. I dropped the flatbed crutch quickly; it was hard to use. I relied heavily on a cane, shortly after that I was given the name Hop-A-Long. Once I began running I insisted I needed a run alias. I became Kandi Kane because my mother named me Kandi and I thought I was pretty sweet and I previously walked with a cane.

I am native Texan, born and raised in Houston. I come from a line of Army war veterans, my grandfather was a World War II veteran and my father was a Vietnam veteran.

I served 7 1/2 years on active duty in the Army. I am  warrior and a true survivor. I have been a victim of sexual assault and domestic violence. My military career ended suddenly on Dec 5, 1999 in Germany. I sustained a traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury which left me traumatized and paralyzed. Doctors told me, I would never walk again, but I was convinced that I would walk a marathon ( 26.2 miles). That day I died and was given a new life. A life I didn’t want. A life I begged God to replace with my old one; the new life I begged him to take. I was initially ungrateful for being spared. I couldn’t, walk, talk, control my own bodily functions. I refused to give up, although I couldn’t see the blessing, it was there.

For years I  battled depression, initially I took medication for the ongoing neuropathic pain that never ceases and medication for depression. While attempting to get through my bucket list, I found running and it changed my life. Physical fitness is very important and critical to my livelihood.

Training for my first marathon I found, Fort Bend Fit and Black Girls Run and they changed my life.  For the past four years I have been running half marathons and marathons across the US. Faced by the fear of a short lived distance running career I quickly overcame my fears of open water to participate in triathlons and recently handcycled my first marathon January 2018 at the Cheveron Marathon in Houston.

I am is currently on a quest to complete a half marathon in all 50 states and DC before the age of 50. Not realizing I was a parathlete I have completed 17 marathons (in 7 states), I have run 14, I qualified and ran Boston 4 years consecutively. I handcycled the rest. I completed 72 half marathons (in 42 states and DC) and 14-Triathlons (in 3 states). I have received three Gold Philipedes awards from the USA Track and Field. I won 1st place at the Leon’s Triathlon, I placed 2nd at the Sylvan Beach Triathon and Chicago Triathlon; all in the mobility impaired ambulatory division.

I aspire to inspire recovery actively through a commitment to exercise. I feel God has truly blessed me and I bless others by sharing my testimony to at least one person in every state. I have motivated athletes on the course to endure in every state I have visited.

I motivate youth and adults through the use of exercise and through my life stories of failure and triumph.

I am Speech Language Pathologist during the work week, a triathlete, marathoner and inspirational speaker on the weekends. I am a living and breathing testimony. This blog is a journey into the life of Kandi Kane a real life Captain Marvel. I am strong, resilient and persistent.