Raymond Beesley – legacy of joy, love and hope

Date: January 1, 2017

Author: Brooke

In Memory of Raymond Beesley

Raymond Beesley (photo:northjersey.com)

The “real” Santa, Raymond Beesley, 65, passed on December 2^nd, 2016. Since the ‘70’s, every winter Ray put on his signature red suit and travelled throughout New Jersey, spreading cheer. Allison Howard Beesley wrote:

“ Ray Beesley’s generosity and love of children were legendary. For decades, he was the ‘real’ Santa to thousands of children, soothing their fears and drawing them in with a soft voice and warm smile. He made doubters into believers.”

Dan Nevins – Wounded Warrior, Yoga Teacher, Motivational Speaker

Date: November 14, 2016

Author: Brooke

Categories: adaptive sports, amputees, fitness, INSPIRATIONS BLOG, Support, yoga

Dan Nevins (Jim Campbell omlightphotography.com)

In 2004, during combat in Iraq, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beneath Dan Nevins’ vehicle. He lost both legs below the knee, and lives with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the emotional wounds of war. He also lives with determination, resiliency, a positive attitude and a passion for helping other wounded vets do the same through yoga.

“I just remember having this revelation that I’m alive, I’m alive! That I better do something to keep it that way.”

Reggie Showers – double amputee-double daredevil-double motivator

Date: November 4, 2016

Author: Brooke

Categories: adaptive sports, amputees, INSPIRATIONS BLOG, prosthetics, Uncategorized

Reggie Showers

As a youngster, Reggie Showers was always challenging himself – he loved climbing on the boxcars at a rail yard near his home in Philadelphia. At the age of 14, however, the power lines hanging above the box cars surged 13,000 volts of electricity through his young body. To save his life, the doctors had to graft skin onto his third degree burned arms and cut off both his legs below the knee. To Reggie, this was just another challenge.

“You would think a kid would just want to give up but … I never once shed a tear about it…There’s a reason why I’m here,” Showers said. “For all intents and purposes, I should be dead.” (espncdn.com)

Rebekah Marine – bionic model, inspirational speaker, humanitarian

Date: October 7, 2016

Author: Brooke

Categories: amputees, INSPIRATIONS BLOG, prosthetics

Rebekah Marine

Born without a right forearm, Rebekah Marine was an active child but when she entered high school, she found herself targeted by bullies. The 14-year-old Rebekah became insecure and withdrew from sports and social activities. She wore baggy sweaters and stood in an awkward way to avoid drawing attention to her missing limb. Today, 29 year old Rebekah is a model, inspirational speaker and humanitarian. She has defied all odds in the fashion industry and is one of the most recognizable models in the disabled community.

“I lived most of my life without a prosthetic hand,” Marine told SELF Magazine. “I used one in grade school for a short period of time, but gave up on it when it became too difficult to use. I didn’t use one again until my early 20’s when I started feeling pain in my left hand, most likely due to the overuse of it. I realized I needed to look into an alternative to help me as I grow older.”

Stacey Kozel — on the Appalachian Trail with Determination and Hi Technology

Date: September 9, 2016

Author: Brooke

Categories: adaptive sports, brace, fitness, INSPIRATIONS BLOG

stacey-kozel-hiking-sq Now 41, Stacey Kozel was diagnosed with lupus when she was 19 years old. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body. The symptoms for Stacey, as for some other Lupus patients, has been cyclical, every couple of years she would have a “flare-up”.

The disease directly attacked her central nervous system during each flare-up, causing her to lose muscle function. In March 2014 she lost all mobility, couldn’t sit up or lift her head. With determination, she slowly recovered control of both arms and her upper body, but her legs were paralyzed. Her mobility depended upon her electric wheelchair.