Walking with Anthony

SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH

INTRODUCING SCI HEROES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

This September, we aim to raise SCI awareness by sharing 30 different stories from 30 individuals with SCI, highlighting their tragedies and triumphs each day on our social channels and website. Walking With Anthony receives thousands of grant applications every year from individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in desperate need of help. Each story has the same underlying theme: these brave heroes need mental, physical, and financial guidance and support. 

SCI HERO

Michael Kim

Michael Kim

38 years old father of two young children, PARALYZED.

This fund is set up for Mike’s family during a time of incredible heartache, to help them navigate a long road of recovery and treatment. This fund will help with medical expenses, home care, childcare and rehabilitiation.

On May 30, 2022, while vacationing in Hawaii with his family and two young kids, Mike got into an accident at Waikiki Beach. He dove into the water and landed on a sand bar, fracturing his spine and injuring his spinal cord. He was instantly paralyzed from chest down.

The diagnosis: Quadriplegic, C4-C6 complete spinal cord injury with no chance of walking again.

He’s been in the ICU and hospitalized in Hawaii for one month, unable to breath or eat on his own. It was one of the scariest moments of our lives.

Mike’s recovery was slow and just recently transferred back “home” in California where he will be in inpatient rehab facility to learn how to live an independent life on a wheelchair.

As you can imagine, Mike’s accident has turned his life upside down, and brought our entire family to our knees. We dropped everything to come together, for his medical care, his business, his family, especially his two young kids. At 38 years young, this accident has been a wakeup call for everyone around him. A reminder to appreciate every moment of your life, because it can all change literally within seconds.

PLEASE SHARE THIS STORY BY CLICKING THE BUTTONS ABOVE!

Email Address:

More SCI Heroes

Please share these stories during the month of September to help us raise awareness for spinal cord injury:

SCI Heroes

Ian Malesiewski

I was wrestling at the junior freestyle and Greco world team trials. It was my first match of the Greco portion of the tournament and I threw my opponent. I landed hitting the mat with my...

Rhonda Williams
SCI Heroes

Rhonda Williams

I am a C5 C6 quadriplegic who had a car accident when I was 16 in 1989 in Virginia. Through the many years of living as a quadriplegic I have had ebbs and flows. I met my husband while living in...

David Wieselmann
SCI Heroes

David Wieselmann

I was Mt. Biking with friends up in Vermont after work. We were cutting down a hill at the very end of run, and my front wheel sunk in some soft dirt. I went over the handlebars and did a...

Stephanie Nichols-Rodas
SCI Heroes

Stephanie Nichols-Rodas

I had a car accident May 6th,2017, early in the morning on my way to work. Another car was going to hit me, so I swerved and hit a concrete median while merging on to the freeway. I flipped 3...

Eden Hoelscher
SCI Heroes

Eden Hoelscher

On December 23, 2015, our five-year-old daughter, Eden, collapsed on the ground after doing a backbend on our living room floor. Within 30 minutes, she was paralyzed from the waist down. She was...

Rebecca Koltun
SCI Heroes

Rebecca Koltun

On March 13, 2021, I was skiing with some friends in Vermont. While I do not recall the day itself, I was told that I had a very bad fall. I woke up in a hospital in New Hampshire, paralyzed from...

Rob Balucas
SCI Heroes

Rob Balucas

hey, i’m rob This part of my story starts in 2015. That year was a shaping up to be a breakout year for my business and me. My business, a boutique creative agency, was on track to grow by 12%...

Stevie VanAusdale
SCI Heroes

Stevie VanAusdale

I was in a car accident the summer going into my junior year of high school. I was with 4 friends. We made the poor choice of throwing water bottles at other cars, which caused one car to chase...

Casey Ellin
SCI Heroes

Casey Ellin

On June 1st, 2013, when Casey was only 26 years old, he had an accident at Jones Beach that forever changed his life. After diving into the ocean, he fractured his C4 – C6 vertebrae, leaving him...

Anne Nelson
SCI Heroes

Anne Nelson

I was a passenger in a car accident. After emergency personnel rescued me from the car I was taken to Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, AL where emergency surgery was done to stabilize my spine....

TELL US YOUR STORY

DISCLAIMER:

Walking With Anthony receives thousands of grant applications every year from individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in desperate need of help. Although we are not able to directly support every individual, for your participation you will receive valuable resources regarding mentorship, mental health, community, advice, and education to help you on your SCI journey. 30 stories will be chosen to share on social media, and those individuals will also receive $200 of wellness supplements to aid in their recovery.

Tell Us Your Story

Contact Information

Contact Person:
Contact Person:
Contact First Name
Contact Last Name

Applicant Information

Injured Person:
Injured Person:
First Name
Last Name

Injury Information

Hospital Information

Your Story

Do you consent to share your story with others to raise SCI awareness?

Social Media Profiles & Links

How can we help?

In which areas do you need the most assistance?
Maximum upload size: 268.44MB

How We Help

People Living with Paralysis
First Average Cost
Our Mission
Where Money Goes

Pin It on Pinterest