It’s not over.

Almost 3 years ago a girl that I’ve known all my life said to me, “you know… you will never drive. You can’t do anything really. That must really suck to think of, huh?”
At the time I was brand new to being in a wheelchair. I knew she was wrong, but I just didn’t say anything. I just looked at her until she realized what she said had hurt me.
Little does she know how big of a fire she lit in my heart.
She has no idea what I’ve done since that day. I have exceeded all expectations. Even my own.
I have lived a much more full life in a wheelchair then I ever did walking.
In the last 3 years I’ve done multiple 5ks, one being a run or dye, I’ve went swimming in 15 feet water, I’ve lied on a beach, went down slides at the park, went on the swings, have been on hikes, I’m learning to drive very soon, 2 weeks ago. I went zip lining, I have been on TV, on the radio, swam with dolphins, I have danced more passionately than ever, I have laughed so hard and have loved so deep.
And through this all, my mind has always come back to the girl telling me “I can’t do anything.”
Something she has completely forgot she said, is drilled in my mind and motivates me every single day to GET UP and get pushing.
I thought I couldn’t go zip lining. That it would be too hard. It was difficult, but that didn’t matter the second I let go and went with no help, by myself, free.. Free, something I haven’t felt in years. The feeling of being free is an emotion, I can’t quite explain. It was a feeling that caused a huge lump in my throat, and happy tears. I went and did something that I thought was completely out of question for me. I am the first person in a wheelchair to ever zip line in Oahu Hawaii.
I love when people underestimate me, seeing the looks on there faces after they see what I can really do is priceless.
I can choose to let Transverse Myelitis define me, confine me, outshine me, OR refine me.
I can also choose to move on from my struggles and leave them behind me. I won’t forget my past, ever BUT I will GROW from it.
Next I’m planning on going either bungee jumping, sky diving or even rock climbing. I plan on living my life the fullest I can possible, despite ANY setbacks. I promise you, at the end of my life not one person will say I missed out on anything. Ever.
Without my Make A Wish trip I would’ve never of gotten the opportunity to go to the most beautiful place on earth, Hawaii. I wouldn’t have swam with dolphins, or went zip lining. How do you thank someone for that? For helping me more than anyone else could have.
Through out my Make A Wish journey I have grown so much as a person in just a few short months. I had been in a rut for a few months, I was in pain everyday and I didn’t have much motivation, I still did what I had to do and laughed often but it wasn’t anything like I am now. Even though I am in pain everyday, I learned I can push through it. I can do it. I have so much motivation now. I have almost all A’s in school, I just want to do everything I have ever wanted to do now. I learned that I 100% want to help other people. I want to help other people feel the joy I do when I do things I never thought I could’ve even dreamed of.
My trip may be “over” but it’s not really. My journey is only just starting. I never really thought of the future. I was scared to. I didn’t know what would happen day to day. Now I’m so excited for my life to begin. I’m so excited to have more laughs, have more adventures, to drive, to go to college, to have a beautiful house one day.. To just live and be so overwhelmingly happy. Even though I still don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, I can still live for today. Because everyday that I am alive and well is a great day.