Yesterday, with much excitement and anticipation, my mom and I attended~>Boston's Annual Ability Expo<~
We did not know what to expect, but knew it would be an unforgettably inspiring and eye-opening experience. Immediately upon arriving, we were inundated with various pieces of equipment, whether they were for mobility or communication. They included, but definitely were not limited to, the tricycle pictured below. A rush of nostalgia came over me, as that trike was awfully similar to the trike that had been the biggest portion of my
in-patient rehabilitation up at Crotched Mountain Rehab, from August-September 2010. Crotched had been the "final-step" of in-patient rehabilitation before I was finally allowed to return home after five months of hospitalization.
in-patient rehabilitation up at Crotched Mountain Rehab, from August-September 2010. Crotched had been the "final-step" of in-patient rehabilitation before I was finally allowed to return home after five months of hospitalization.
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Another >EYE-OPENING< experience was when we were able to witness, root for, and enjoy the Boston Renegades Baseball Team. The Renegades, run by the Association of Blind Citizens, is a unique program of competitive baseball for the Blind, allowing visually-impaired athletes to play ball, while also, "Creating Opportunity One Step at a Time"!
^--there I am, up at bat, wearing a blindfold, to fully grasp what it's like to be a member of this team
...you may be wondering how on earth would one be able to tell when the ball was nearing the plate.
Well, the pitcher acts as the batter's eyes, and the batter relies on his or her own ears to listen for when the pitcher counts '1,2...3!" I soon realized that waiting 'til the "3!" would not work for me, and had to adjust my swing accordingly. THAT photo is the snapshot of my BIG-HIT, to which I received encouraging hoots&hollers!!!
Well, the pitcher acts as the batter's eyes, and the batter relies on his or her own ears to listen for when the pitcher counts '1,2...3!" I soon realized that waiting 'til the "3!" would not work for me, and had to adjust my swing accordingly. THAT photo is the snapshot of my BIG-HIT, to which I received encouraging hoots&hollers!!!
After what felt like a GRAND-SLAM, here I am posing with the a few of the actual members of this terrific team!
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The day had really just begun after I "cleaned-up" the baseball diamond, and it was time to explore what else the Expo had to offer. My mom and I had no trouble locating which show we wanted to experience, as we could hear the " bumpin' " music from the other side of the arena. 'What could it be?' you may be asking. Well, it was the Wheelchair Dancing Demo and Workshop by Auti
Angel, Abilities Expo "Dancebassador"!
Great post Ryan!! Thank you for sharing and thank you for continuing to be such a strong, inspirational woman! I feel blessed to have met you and so happy to call you a friend!!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Erin, for being such an incredible spokeswoman for your brother's foundation. I'm the blessed one to have been introduced to you and your wonderful family!!! <3 =)
DeleteI had wanted to attend the Expo but couldn't make it there so thank you for your post sharing your experience and photographs from the day.
ReplyDeleteSandra, you would've *LOVED* it. ELLy & I had such a great time; we wish you could have been there!!! =) <3
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