Ali

From Ali’s application: On January 23, 2018 after working a 13-hour shift, I had been without food and came home; my family was asleep. I went into the kitchen, heated up my dinner and began to walk to the bathroom. While trying to undress, I believe I fell and hit my head on my son’s table which made my head jerk back. I woke up on the floor face down, unable to move from the neck down.

I was blessed with a son, and since that day I have wanted to give him a better life than I have had. I need this grant to show myself and show my son that anything is possible. I am dedicated to therapy and want to prove every doctor wrong. When the doctor came to my room and told me I would never walk again, I was devastated. But, I’m going to work hard every second of every day to walk again. My wish is to be able to hold my son in my arms again and play catch with him. My dream is to be able to teach my son how to play ball, how to drive a car and how to tie a tie when he gets older.

The Board of Directors of the Mary and Charles A. Parkhill Foundation for Spinal Cord Rehabilitation unanimously approved a grant for PT, OT and training, three times a week for 12 weeks.

When Ali started therapy in 2018, he needed maximum assistance to walk a couple of feet. Through the help of the grant, his family support and months of hard work, Ali got to the point where he could walk short distances without assistance. Unfortunately, Ali broke his leg at home about six months ago, causing a major setback. Thankfully, the Parkhill Foundation stepped up once more, and along with Ali’s resilience, he has gotten back to a point where he is walking without assistance again. He is also progressing toward his goal to walk up and down stairs with minimal assistance and to go outside his apartment and be more active in the community. He continues to work hard and progresses with his rehabilitation.