Our Heroes
In Adapt Ability we can say that everyone is a Hero. Children with special needs fighting every day for their lives, parents learning how to take care of their children and working hard to be the best parents and friends supporting and comforting them. Our organization notices that we have another type of Heroes and we have decided to honor them. We want everyone to know that these amazing individuals are doing incredible work to help our Adapt Ability Stars and because of that, we are calling them, Heroes.
Hi
My name is Ethan Zoland and I am from Mamaroneck, NY. I attended Mamaroneck High School for the past four years and now I am moving on to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. During my sophomore year high school, I came across Adapt Ability in the New York Times. I immediately realized how special of an organization it is and wanted to be part of it. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Sandra and working with Adapt Ability, but most importantly, I have learned how special it is to put a smile on a kid’s face and make their life a little better. It has been an amazing experience to be part of AdaptAbility and I am so glad I have been able to contribute.
The last two years Ethan spent in high school, he was knocking on doors and calling family and friends to offer bicycle repair services. All the money that he earned he then donated it to Adapt Ability. He is a Hero.
Hero: a word that means a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities or personal qualities and regarded as role model or ideal. Ethan reached out in 2017 to tell me about his idea of raising money for Adapt Ability. This touched my heart deeply, because I do believe that all of us have this amazing instinct of helping others and I can feel it in Ethan’s voice. On his own without help, Ethan fixed bicycles every moment that he could and saved all the earnings. In 2018, I received another called from Ethan that he had decided to raise more money. In July 2019, Ethan and his mom came to Behind Bars in Brooklyn to deliver Ethan’s earrings for almost 2 years of hard work. Ethan’s donation was used to purchase Eva Rios custom adaptive bicycle. Ethan never knew who Eva is or why she needed an adaptive bicycle but that didn’t stop Ethan. Giving without expecting anything in return.
Adapt Ability recognized you as a Hero. We are proud to call you member of our organization.
THANK YOU.
Hi
Owen was born in 2010 with myelomeningocele (spina-bifida), clubbed feet, and hydrocephalus. Because of his neurologic condition, he lacks both feeling and strength in most of the lower half of his body. Initially told by doctors that he would likely never walk, Owen has been walking, running, and jumping with ankle foot orthotics (AFOs) and a walker since he was three years old. Though physically disabled, Owen has always been very active. He has never seen himself as having any limitations.
He enjoys swimming, skateboarding, riding his bike, street hockey, baseball, and playing video games. He has even played in a youth baseball league where he hit a homerun in in his final at-bat of the season. Owen is characterized by many as an old soul. He loves socializing and is very comfortable holding intelligent conversations with adults. He loves to help others and almost always leaves a lasting impression on everyone that he meets. He is one of the most friendly, funny, kind, and caring individuals you will ever meet.
We learned about AdaptAbility when searching for someone to donate the twin to Owen’s bike to. AdaptAbility was a perfect fit. They see the value in providing bikes to kids, like Owen, that cannot go out and get one from a local bike shop or sporting goods store.
Meeting Owen and his family has been an honor. A military family that, not only served their country, but also helps strangers in need. Owen, a ten year old child that donated his adaptive bicycle to Adapt Ability so another child can feel the same freedom that he feels riding his bicycle. Owen is our Hero.
Hero is someone who puts others before himself or herself, a person admired for achievements and noble qualities. Owen and his family are remarkable. We received a phone call from them to donate (what we called Owen’s twin) adaptive bicycle. We traveled to Maryland to pick up the bicycle and meet the family. They received us with open arms. Owen and his brother spent time showing us their riding skills and talking about how much they love riding. Therapy, exercise and cycling changed Owen’s life and he decided that he wanted the same for another child. Your kindness, love, generosity and braveness makes you unique. We are so proud of you.
Owen, you are an inspiration and Adapt Ability recognizes you as a Hero.
THANK YOU.
Hi
The Vera Fiallos family is a family of three, Luciana age 14, her dad Angel David and mom Alexandra.
David and I met at age of 19 years old when we were both attending the same College. There happened to be an event one day where I was participating as a host, wearing a bright red dress. He attended the event as well and I fell in love at first sight after we were introduced by a mutual friend. He says he still remembers me with that bright red dress.
After ten years together, we got married and celebrated fifteen years of marriage on June 4, 2020. We are best friends and a great team. I get passionate about situations and David is the one who provides balance. He has the kindest heart and make us laugh all the time.
Our lives changed when we had our beautiful daughter, Luciana, whose smile can melt your heart. Luciana was born with a rare heart defect named Truncus Arteriosus Type II. As a result, oxygen-poor blood that should go to the lungs and oxygen-rich blood that should go to the rest of the body are mixed together. If left untreated, it would be fatal. Luciana underwent a heart-repair surgery when she was two months old. After many complications and four months in the Intensive Care Unit, she was diagnosed with Anoxic Brain Injury. We were told she was unlikely to manage any facial expressions, interact with others, would have intellectual delays, will be unable to walk and talk, will be unaware of her surroundings. She is quadriplegic.
Luciana has overcome so many obstacles, mostly with her health but also the biggest of all the lack of accessibility. Despite her disAbilities, Luciana is more present than ever! She enjoys the outdoors, and likes to be around people, to belong. Luciana makes us proud every day with her determination, her love for life, and the strength of her spirit. She has a light and smile so powerful that can make a cloudy day look brighter.
The year of 2013 was a tough one, since David was diagnose with cancer in the duodenum and underwent a twelve hour procedure to remove the tumor. He had to do a post-surgery treatment for four years and now in on third year remission. YAY.
David decided to ride the bicycle as part of his rehabilitation and recovery. I joined him and together participate on different bike tours every year riding 40 miles.
We consider a resilient family, we try to focus on the possibilities, the abilities, how to get things to work for Luciana in order to make her part of the community, to give her freedom, happiness, joy.
We are constantly looking to give her the opportunity to try something new, to challenge herself.
We met Sandra while searching to adjust Luciana’s adaptive tricycle. We see how much joy Luciana feels when she rides. We instantly loved Sandra, she projects so much care for the people in need and in general, she is ready to help, she is so kind and loving, has the patience and honesty to support you. We are grateful to have met her.
We always try to be positive and continue to support each other and hope our story can inspire others to promote accessibility and inclusion.
The Vera Fiallos family had created a network of families that help each other. A family that can use help forgets about their needs and help others overcome their needs. The Vera Fiallos family is a Hero.
Hero a person (in this case a family) noted for courageous acts or nobility of character. The Vera Fiallos family is caring and full of love. The desire and passion to help other families with special needs children is immense (oversize, XXL). Alexandra and David’s love for Lucy is gigantic and contagious. The creativity of finding ways to help Lucy and others is outstanding. Adapt Ability received a call from someone in Arkansas looking for Adapt Ability to help her son with an adaptive bicycle, the family was referred by The Vera Faillos family. I just mentioned one referral but in reality there are many many coming from them, always sharing their knowledge and information to help families in need to overcome obstacles in the health of their child.
We are blessed and proud to know you. Your love, passion, courage and contribution to special needs families makes your family an exceptional and unique family.
Vera Fiallos family, you are an inspiration and Adapt Ability recognizes you as a Hero.
THANK YOU.