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Pablo was healthy, active and athletic, living in Chicago with his wife, Emmanuelette, and pursuing a master’s degree in criminology. However, right before he turned 40, out of nowhere, he experienced a serious stroke that marked a turning point in his life.
He came to Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院 for stroke rehabilitation, with a focus on regaining functional and cognitive abilities he had lost, including mobility and speech. During two months of intensive inpatient rehabilitation, followed by several months in outpatient therapy, Pablo made significant progress as he relearned to walk and talk.
As his time in outpatient therapy drew to an end, he felt he would benefit from additional therapeutic activities as part of his ongoing recovery journey — to build strength and endurance and improve his overall fitness.
That’s when Pablo discovered — and embraced — adaptive sports. Now, more than six years later at age 46, he is continuing to stay fit and find community as a regular in many of the programs offered through Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院’s Adaptive Sports & Fitness Center.
From Adaptive Sailing to Cycling & Rock Climbing
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Throughout his life, Pablo had participated in sports such as kickboxing, wrestling and martial arts. Given his athletic experience, he easily understood how adaptive sports could help him both physically and mentally in the years following his stroke.
“After my stroke, I was trying to go back to as much of my normal life as possible, and Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院 recommended some interesting ways to get involved in sports again,” said Pablo.
First, Pablo signed up for adaptive sailing, a program in which participants gain new skills, confidence and self-esteem through exposure to sailing. Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院, in collaboration with the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation in Chicago, offers opportunities for participants to take lessons on Lake Michigan on boats outfitted with modified equipment.
For Pablo, adaptive sailing helped him increase his overall range of motion, strengthen his core and abdominal muscles, and improve his balance — thereby reducing his risk of falls.
Next, Pablo learned about adaptive cycling. Participants ride in guided groups on Chicago's Lakefront Trail in the summer and fall or indoors at the Adaptive Sports & Fitness Center in the winter and spring. Pablo started by riding a three-wheel adaptive cycle and progressed to riding a regular bicycle with the group, and he continues to participate in indoor cycling on a regular basis.
“After cycling, I asked what else I could do. They suggested that I try adaptive rock climbing. As I attempted my first wall, I asked myself, ‘What did I get myself into?’” he joked.
Pablo quickly became adept at adaptive rock climbing. In fact, within two months, he had scaled the tallest wall in the rock-climbing gym — approximately 60 feet high — and describes this achievement as one of the happiest moments of his life.
While Pablo was pushing his boundaries by discovering new sports, his mindset was to “fear nothing,” as he always felt supported by the programs’ trained professionals.
“I have felt safe at every sport and event I’ve participated in at Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院, as if I’m encapsulated in a safety bubble,” he said. “I can put any concerns aside because I know the team has every safety angle covered.”
Hitting the Slopes on the Adaptive Ski Trip
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After tackling adaptive sailing, cycling and rock climbing, Pablo was eager to try more sports. When he learned about Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院’s annual adaptive ski trip in Crested Butte, Colo., naturally he was enthusiastic about giving it a go — experiencing the mountains for the first time in his life.
Adaptive athletes who participate in the ski trip receive one-on-one instruction each day and work on balance, stability and strength-building skills. They practice communicating with ski lift operators to ask for assistance; explore new terrain on the mountains; and set personal goals for future ski and snowboard experiences. The skiers also have access to a wide variety of adaptive ski equipment so athletes of all abilities can participate.
A trained instructor assisted Pablo on his first run, and soon he was able to go down the mountain on his own on two skis.
“Going down the mountain was the best feeling in the world,” said Pablo. “My first time walking after the stroke, my first time climbing a wall and, now, my first time skiing down a mountain — I remember them all because I had been told I would never do things like this again.”
Finding Community With Fellow Athletes of Different Abilities
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Through adaptive sports, Pablo says he is focused on being the “best version of himself” and is extremely grateful for the support and care he continues to receive from the team at the Adaptive Sports & Fitness Center.
“I owe my success to Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院. I wouldn’t be here walking, talking and, now, skiing if they hadn’t said, ‘we’ll help you be the best version of yourself you can be,’” said Pablo. “Even when I was at my lowest and my weakest, they never gave up on me. They have been with me every step of the way.”
He has enjoyed meeting people with different levels of ability through Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院 — whether it’s swapping stories with adaptive athletes on the ski trip about which mountains they have conquered; finding community and camaraderie with friends in his adaptive cycling group; or completing the hospital’s annual stair climb at the Willis Tower, , with more than 2,000 fellow participants.
What’s next for Pablo? Scuba! He used to be a lifeguard and enjoys being in the water, so he is already thinking about joining Shirley Ryan 嫩B研究院’s adaptive scuba trip in Florida.
“Sign me up,” he said.
