Community Heroes

By Lisa Wells, Cure Medical Fitness advocate and founding member of the Rollettes dance team Maria Rabaino is embarking on a journey to help friends who roll lead healthier lives. Meet Maria and learn more at the Abilities Expo Chicago on June 29 – July 1, 2018. A New Chapter for Maria Rabaino: Facing Spinal Cord Injury The day before…

By Lisa Wells, Wheel-Life.org By Lisa Wells, Wheel-Life.org As a recent amputee, Thomas Morris discovered a whole new world when he attended his first Abilities Expo three years ago. Today, he’s an ambassador and care advocate for a new educational program— www.SaveMyMedicalSupplies.org—that aims to help Medicare beneficiaries in receiving necessary medical equipment, supplies and repairs. “I began using a wheelchair…

By Jennifer and Jeff D. Gorman, The Mobility Resource and BraunAbility Wheelchair Vans. Ben Lewin, director of Fox Searchlight’s new film, The Sessions, spoke with fellow polio survivor Jennifer Gorman of The Mobility Resource about his cinematic tale of another polio survivor, Mark O’Brien. The California poet, who died in 1999, has already been the subject of one Oscar-winning film,…

By Margarita Elizondo, CEO and Founder of Rolling With Me and Abilities Expo Ambassador In order to truly show the community that you serve how much you love them, the most empowering thing you can do is add them to your team to serve alongside you. Abilities Expo Ambassadors are leaders in the community with…

By Adam Farris, Younique Abilities Hello, my name is Adam. I was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome in 1994 at the age of six. Later, in July of 2012, I was diagnosed with a form of autism called pervasive developmental disorder. As a child, I didn’t understand Tourette’s syndrome and would ask myself, “What it that?” My…

Morgan Steward is fascinated with police officers. According to his mother, Tangi, he has always wanted to be one. “He’s only five years old, but he already has big dreams,” Tangi said of her son. “Being a police officer is all he talks about.” Morgan, who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a Q6 Edge…

By Chris Rohan, Former Publisher, Disabled Dealer Magazine There are a lot of people out there that talk about trying to change the attitude of people regarding disability. Then there is Stevie Hopkins who not only talks about it, he is doing something about it. It all started in 2004 when his sister, Annie created…

Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Harrington has a vision. Born with anophthalmia—without eyes—her vision does not depend on her ability to see. It is not hindered by her cerebral palsy or her eye prosthetics. Instead, this vision is what drives her to fulfill her Hollywood dreams and what caught the attention of award-winning independent filmmaker Tim Greene. Elizabeth’s current film project,…

Donna Russo has danced since the age of ten. She began with ballet and tap and later added jazz and modern to her repertoire. She was diagnosed with Turners Syndrome at an early age, which has affected her growth. She is small in stature and stands only 4 feet, 3 inches tall. Although she auditioned for…

By Janis Gioia George Strait, if you’re reading this article, Amy Fey of Schertz, Texas, would love to meet you. While meeting the country music legend might be Amy’s dream come true, it would be more life changing for Mr. Strait to meet Amy…she radiates that much joy, energy, positivity and hope. And if he…

By Lisa Wells, Wheel-Life.org “I became a complete C-7 quad on November 9, 1991 as the result of a car accident,” said Chris Malcom, founder of the iPush Foundation, a lifestyle resource and source of encouragement for anyone who uses a wheelchair. “I was a sophomore in college at the time. I’m not proud of it but…

By Kristen Hart, Living Able and Abilities Expo Ambassador A little more than three years ago, on September 16, 2014, I felt fine. I went to bed with plans the next day expecting things to go smoothly. Little did I know that I would end up in the hospital for five days. I want to tell this…