Life Doesn’t End with a Disability

Written by: Brandon Rush, Sportable Community Partner

They are focused on the four walls of their hospital room and can’t quite grasp what life will be like beyond those walls. I help them see what the future might be. Things might be rough right now, but it’s going to get better.

Being in the hospital and becoming disabled is a very scary time in life. Having someone come in and point you in the right direction is helpful. I enjoy helping people. That’s what it boils down to. I see grown men and women every week who are scared and can’t admit they are scared. With me, they feel safe to drop their tears and get things off of their chest. I am able to establish a unique rapport with patients because I was in the same place 26 years ago. I’m not a doctor or a physical therapist—they can talk to me as freely as they want to. No judgment.

I recognize many of the patients I meet with every Tuesday as Sportable’s community partner at Sheltering Arms Institute are months away from being ready for adaptive sports. Their primary focus is rehabilitation. But I want them to understand life doesn’t end with a disability. Things will change, but life can be full and exciting. As long as you are still breathing, you can still do what you do. Whether it’s playing adaptive sports, going back to school, becoming an artist, or a Fortune 500 CEO—all the options are still there.