Greg Shulkin carried the Vancouver 2010 Olympic torch through Saint-Eustache near Montreal, last Thursday. (Graham Hugues/Canadian Press)Steps away from the handoff, Greg Shulkin stopped his motorized scooter, unfurled the Olympic torch from its holster and, with a little help, slowly began to walk the final few paces of the relay.

He earned boisterous applause from his parents, brothers, nieces, nephews, friends and a few hundred flag-waving supporters who gathered last week to watch the flame pass through the town of St-Eustache, near Montreal.

Those few paces were his own Olympic feat. It's one being accomplished across the country by numerous people with serious, and in some cases terminal, illnesses who are getting the chance to carry the flame.

Shulkin contracted viral meningitis 17 years ago, fell into a coma for five weeks and suffered a heart attack that left him legally blind, unable to walk and reliant on dialysis to survive.

"I just want to show people you can overcome challenges if you put enough effort into it," said Shulkin, 35. "Everyone is going to have hurdles in life – it's just how you approach them."

Shulkin is one of many anonymous torchbearers to win a moment in the spotlight as the Olympic flame crisscrosses the country on its 106-day journey to the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

He's not a celebrity, a politician, a community leader or an Olympian like most of the 12,000 people selected for a coveted spot along the 45,000 kilometre relay route.

Shulkin fits into the small category of those chosen for their perseverance in the face of life-threatening adversity.

Days before his mother was to give him a kidney, Shulkin had a massive stroke that left him paralysed on the left side.

After months of rehab, he finally got his kidney and, despite a grim prognosis from his doctor, he went on to complete an honours degree at Concordia University and write a book about his experience. He now works for his father's home-cleaning service and doubles as a motivational speaker.

For a once-avid football, baseball and basketball player who's now resolved to enjoy sports from the sidelines, the torch relay represented both a personal feat and a chance to inspire others.

"Being part of an Olympics is so inspirational," an exhausted Shulkin said moments after completing his leg of the relay.

"[It's] a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Being part of something so large that represents peace across Canada and the world, it's a fantastic inspiration."

One million people vie for 4,500 torchbearer spots

Later this month, 16-year-old Gavin White will carry the torch in Guelph, Ont.

The teenager spent the last year re-learning how to walk and run after Guillain-Barre syndrome left him paralysed and on life-support.

An avid hockey player and cyclist who worked two jobs the summer he got sick, White was thrilled when asked in June if he'd like to carry the Olympic torch.

"Not many people get to take their first steps twice," said the Grade 12 student. "I want to get the most out of life that I can."

Scott Tabachnick, who has spent the last three weeks following the flame, said he's been reduced to tears on a number of occasions by the incredible torchbearers he's met.

He recalls one New Brunswick woman who shed 175 pounds in preparation for the relay. Originally 400 pounds, she began swimming and walking in an effort to get healthy. Carrying the torch was the climax of her journey.

"I just couldn't stop crying. Every time I saw her, I'd start smiling and the emotions would overcome me," said Tabachnick, a spokesman for relay sponsor Coca-Cola.

The company received about one million nominations for its 4,500 torch-bearer spots, which were awarded through an online contest.

"The hard part was picking the best stories and making sure those people got the best opportunity," he said.