ORLANDO, Fla. – A local organization dedicated to helping individuals with paralysis regain their strength and mobility is making significant strides forward, but it needs your support to maintain the momentum.
NextStep Orlando has recently relocated to a new, larger facility at the Genesis Sportsplex in Orlando, formerly known as the RDV Sportsplex. This move marks a new chapter for the organization, which has been a beacon of hope for many.
Individuals like Laura Engstrom, who became paralyzed following a motorcycle accident in October 2021, depend on NextStep Orlando to reclaim their independence. Similarly, Schuyler Arakawa’s life was forever altered when a boulder struck her in Colombia; despite the grim prognosis, Schuyler defied the odds, thanks in large part to the support and specialized therapy provided by NextStep Orlando.
“She was rappelling down a waterfall, and the next day, I’m getting a phone call saying that this crazy boulder had cracked open her skull, crushed her lungs, fractured her spine, snapped her thigh, and they were saying by medical precedent she would not survive, and if she did survive, she would never be mobile again,” said Schuyler’s mom, Meridith Alexander. “As you can see, not only is she mobile, but she still has a shot, and I attribute a lot of that to NextStep.”
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For more than 15 years, NextStep Orlando has been offering specialized therapy and equipment in Central Florida for people with paralysis. The organization was founded in 2009 by Amanda Perla and her mother, Liza Riedel, after Amanda sustained a C6 spinal cord injury in a car accident in 2007.
“There was literally a gym on every corner, but there was no adaptive gym available. There was no place for someone like me to go and exercise and be trained properly,” said Perla.
Today, NextStep is in such demand that approximately 200 clients travel from around the world to benefit from their services. In many cases, insurance does not cover the costs, but through generous donations, individuals of all ages — from children to veterans — who have suffered traumatic injuries, strokes, or other medical conditions, can live more independently.
“I remember the first time they set me up in this exoskeleton and I stood up, it was the best feeling in the world,” said Engstrom. “There’s no better feeling than being able to stand up and then to walk on top of that, that’s the best. I felt like a human again. A real person.”
For more information about NextStep Orlando and their fundraising events, visit their website.
News 6 anchors Lisa Bell and Ginger Gadsden will emcee NextStep Orlando’s 15th annual Walk-n-Roll-a-Thon, taking place at Cranes Roost Park on Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. — register to participate and donate to the fundraiser by clicking here.