Several weeks ago, Vinnie Bednar drove a car for the first time since Aug. 22. On that Saturday night at Los Alamitos, Bednar was involved in a one-horse spill that caused a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Bednar underwent surgery at USC Medical Center the next day and spent two weeks there before he was transferred to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., a premier rehabilitation center for paralysis patients. Bednar spent more than two months in Colorado, undergoing various aspects of treatment and rehabilitation. “They teach you everything they can about life and how to do things from going to the bathroom to getting mobile,” Bednar said. “I drove twice while I was out there with hand controls. I felt like I was at Dave and Buster’s playing a video game. It was one of the most emotional aspects because here I am driving a car and I park and I go to get out and my legs don’t move.” The moment was a test of his fortitude. “There’s not one second I’ve been angry at anyone or the situation that happened,” Bednar said. “We’ve got to get through it. I know everyone cares about me at the end of the day.” :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Last weekend, the 28-year-old Bednar attended the Thoroughbred races at Los Alamitos, the first time he had been to the racetrack since the injury. An hour before racing began, Bednar was among a small group of people gathered near the track’s executive offices. Bednar spent more than 40 minutes visiting with starter Gary Brinson, trainer James Glenn, Quarter Horse racing secretary Scott Craigmyle, and a few others. Bednar was aboard a horse trained by Glenn who was fatally injured in the spill on Aug. 22. The conversation focused on Bednar’s day-to-day life since he returned to Southern California from Colorado in late November. “My job every day is getting into how to handle my home life, and trying to be as independent as possible,” Bednar said in an interview after his conversation with friends. “My girlfriend is there with me. She has her own job and her own life to live. The last thing I want to do is be a hindrance on anybody. My goal is to be as independent as possible at home. That’s been my goal, my job. “I do everything from trying to do the dishes to vacuum to laundry. I’m just trying to do everything I used to do before my new situation – like making the bed takes 15 minutes. The littlest thing you used to knock out. “I tell people I wake up and I try to do the things you do without thinking about it. That’s basically my life right now.” When Bednar was injured, his career as a Quarter Horse jockey was ascending. Bednar became first-call rider for Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred in 2018. Allred has a majority of his stable with trainer Scott Willoughby as well as horses with other trainers, including Glenn. For Willoughby, Bednar rode He Looks Hot to win in the $600,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos in December 2019. He Looks Hot was named the 2019 Quarter Horse World Champion a month later. Bednar and Willoughby combined for three major stakes wins this summer – the Vessels Maturity with Chocolatito on July 5, the Governor’s Cup Derby with Nomadic on July 26, and the Golden State Derby with Circle City on Aug. 16. Bednar, who rode Thoroughbreds at Turf Paradise in 2011 and at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park in 2012, had his best season in 2019, winning 115 races on all breeds. His mounts earned a personal-best $1,900,785. Privately, Bednar’s friends at Los Alamitos have remarked recently about his upbeat demeanor despite the severity of the injuries. Bednar’s formal rehabilitation is on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic, and he hopes to resume that work soon and begin the next phase of his life. The years of racing memories are part of the home Bednar shares with his longtime girlfriend, Nora Nabi. Coming home from Colorado seeing the mementoes of his career was difficult, he said. “I thought I was mourning the loss of this guy, the person I used to be,” Bednar said. “But after talking to a few people, it isn’t about losing this guy. That dude is still me. I’m still him. I’m just in this condition right now. I’ve got to figure out how to keep being me.” Earlier this month, Bednar said he made a late decision not to attend the Champion of Champions. The win in the Vessels Maturity gave Chocolatito a berth in the lucrative race. Bednar texted good wishes to Willoughby, but was not on hand when Chocolatito finished fourth. “I planned on it,” he said. “I told Scott I was coming. Ten minutes before the race, I texted him and said good luck. I said emotionally I wasn’t ready. I’m sorry, brother.” A week later, he was at Los Alamitos, riding to the track with fellow jockey Erick Garcia and seeing familiar faces. Bednar said there may be a day when he seeks to serve as a mentor for people who have suffered similar injuries. “The best thing I can do is give back,” Bednar said. “I’ve only been in this situation for a short time. The people I’ve talked to and have helped me out have given me a lot of tools to help me get through life and get through situations and get through the hard time. “If I can help and give back, that’s where I’ll be. As far as work goes, that’s up in the air. “I’ve worked at a Christmas tree lot to roofing to racing horses. I’ve always been a hands-on guy. I’m paralyzed from the chest down. It’s going to be tough to be a hands-on guy. “I’m trying to reinvent myself at 28 years old, which isn’t impossible. It’s a new chapter and a new journey I have to go on.”