Man with muscular atrophy rides in friends' backpacks to see Europe

An Indiana man took a trip to Europe thanks to his friends and hundreds of generous strangers.

Kevan Chandler, 30, suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, which has left him confined to a wheelchair. Despite his diagnosis, he has stayed positive and dreamed big his entire life.

A few years ago, his friends helped him complete his dream of urban spelunking. They carried Chandler on their backs as they explored the North Carolina sewer system.

Chandler has since been able to realize an even bigger dream: exploring Europe.

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"These amazing countries are filled with wonders that would normally be inaccessible to me, from catacombs to gardens to ancient monasteries," Chandler wrote on his GoFundMe page. Thanks to the support of his friends and hundreds of GoFundMe donors who don't even know him, Chandler was able to raise more than $35,000 to fund the trip.

He says those strangers helped "carry" him through Europe just as much as his friends did.

He hopes to write a book about the experience as well as create a documentary.

Chandler posted photos of the trip to social media while abroad.

You can follow his journey on Facebook and Instagram.

>> Click here or scroll down to see a video of Chandler and photos from his trip

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