NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Ray "Speedy" Walker appears in Episode 3 of 'Queer Eye' Season 7 to share his experience of coming to terms with the loss of his legs after a vehicle accident in 2020 while on his way to drop flowers in his grandmother's burial site. As the Fab Five attempts to help Speedy acquire confidence in himself before he becomes the TikTok superstar he aspires to be, they enlist the assistance of a past hero.
Nobody knows why the two cars — his mother's Honda Civic and a GMC Sierra — crashed on Interstate 55 near Tickfaw before veering off the road and colliding with trees. Speedy was the only one who survived in his car. He was airlifted alongside his 45-year-old mother, Eunique Ebbs, and his 23-year-old aunt, Shaique Andrews, but both died shortly after arriving at Hammond General Hospital. As he was taken into the operating room, the staff informed him of a spinal injury and requested him to sign a document before allowing him to have surgery. Hospital workers took Speedy in on a stretcher to the double funeral for his aunt and mother.
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Who nominated Speedy on 'Queer Eye'?
Karamo Brown, a culture expert, spotted Speedy on TikTok. He felt Speedy's narrative, flair, and swag were incredible. Karamo had no choice but to present him to the Fab Five. Speedy aspires to be a motivator, someone who encourages others to achieve their full potential. He believes that by telling his story, he might inspire others.
What did the Fab Five do for Speedy?
Speedy tells interior design expert, Bobby Berk, that at that moment he was living with his family. He lived in an apartment that was on the first floor but had three stoops. When he gets in the house, the doorways are small. He couldn't get in the bathroom with his wheelchair, so he had to use another chair to go into the shower. He wanted to move out and get his own space that is more accessible to him. His number one wish in his new pad was to have a bed that he can push up and down, as the bed he was used to using he had to really lift himself up to get into the bed. Speedy, who was already stressed, was also living in a house that made his life more difficult. Speedy's earlier living situation was not easy. Bobby showed Speedy that he doesn't have to settle when it comes to accessibility.
The Fab Five accompanied Speedy to his new apartment, where his family was waiting to surprise him. They covered Speedy's rent for the following year. Bobby adjusted some things. He took the cabinet from under the sink and angled it so Speedy can use it better. They also set up a lot of things that will make life just easier. Everything from the greatest rice cooker to front-loading washers and roll-in showers contributed to Speedy's need for comfort.
Speedy's desire to learn to cook delighted the food and wine specialist. He asked to learn how to make fried rice and steak. Speedy informs Antoni that because he is wheelchair-bound, he must take care of himself, including cooking. He is now losing weight and needs to bulk up, which necessitates a balanced diet. Antoni had fun in the kitchen with Speedy, making him feel empowered and creating food that Speedy can actually make. Speedy wanted to learn how to take care of himself, and how to feed himself. With fried rice and steak, Antoni did exactly that.
Grooming expert, Jonathan Van Ness, was ecstatic to find that Speedy had been wanting braids for a long time. He also wished for a color change. He wanted to shock his TikTok with a new look. Furthermore, he was also interested in nose piercing. Tan France, a fellow member, thought it was going a little too far. Speedy has a very new relationship with his body. So, Jonathan helped Speedy to be confident in who he is. Jonathan took Speedy on his first official trip to the salon since his accident. He had to deal with two years of growth. For braiding, they went for a gorgeous design using honey-color extensions, that are very chic, and classic, but also of the moment. Jonathan taught Speedy the importance of therapy and how it helped him when he found out about his HIV diagnosis when he was in his mid-20s.
Beloved style icon, Tan, discovered that Speedy has stopped wearing shorts since his injury and now prefers streetwear. Since he's been in the chair, his style has popped a little bit more. He's more at ease now. Tan helped Speedy find a look that is very uniquely Speedy to really encourage confidence in him. Tan helped Speedy find that 'drip' look that will garner him the right amount of attention. Tan gave Speedy a variety of colorful knitwear. He also purchased some skinny-fitting pants to avoid getting entangled in the wheels. Finally, Speedy now has a variety of shirts to choose from depending on how he wanted to play.
Speedy recalls his days as a point guard in high school basketball games with Karamo. However, he has been entirely out of the game since his injury. Speedy was advised by Karamo that he must first open up to himself before attempting to inspire others with his content on TikTok. He assisted Speedy in reaching a point where he felt he was his most vulnerable, true self, where he could reconcile the past with the present and let it guide him to the future he desired and deserved. Speedy hopes to inspire others by sharing his story. Karamo assisted him in reaching that point by assisting him in grieving and understanding what he was going through. So he invites Season 4 hero Wesley Hamilton. He wanted him to understand that he had a support system who knows what he was going through. Wesley assisted Speedy and Bobby while they were hunting for wheelchair-friendly homes. He also later joined Speedy alongside Karamo and Antoni for a little two-on-two on the basketball court.
Where is Speedy now?
Speedy is following through on his pledge to inspire people with his content. He is frequently seen on the platform documenting his everyday life and offering tips and tactics for getting by in life. As of this writing, he has around 63k followers on TikTok and approximately 6k followers on Instagram, which will undoubtedly increase as more people watch the series.
Season 7 of 'Queer Eye' is available for streaming on Netflix.