Read Dynah's Story

“When I was able-bodied, I was never athletic or interested in sports.”

Until I was 19 years old, I thought I was just clumsy.  I was embarrassed by it but learned to live with it.  One day I went to a new doctor, who watched me walk about 15 feet from the waiting room into her office, and asked if I had something wrong with my hips.  I never knew my 'clumsiness' was so obvious.  I was referred to a neurologist who, though he had never actually seen Friedreich's Ataxia in person, immediately suspected it to be the problem.  Genetic tests confirmed it, and thus began my journey with FA. 

Although it was scary to be diagnosed with a little-known, progressive disease, in a way I was relieved to find out that there was a reason for the way I was; I wasn't just a big klutz.  Finally, I had a reason why my body couldn't do some of the things everyone else had no problem with, like running, carrying a glass of water, or walking down stairs.

When I was able-bodied, I was never athletic or interested in sports.  My knowledge of adaptive sports consisted of watching the movie Murderball, and I thought, I'll never be hardcore athletic like those guys.  Then I discovered the website of an adaptive sports organization in my area and signed up for their swimming program, thinking that sounded like something I could handle.  Soon the great people there had recruited me for their downhill skiing program, and I was hooked.  As I soared down the mountain in a bi-ski, walking the farthest thing from my mind, I realized there were so many sports and other activities I could do that would be just as freeing, empowering, and fun.

Now I ride a handcycle, kayak, paddle, and take various classes at the gym, and I'm looking forward to more in the future.  I'm hoping to get my own trike so I can join Kyle on future Ride Ataxia rides.  He's not only my good friend, but an inspiration that I too can do something so ambitious despite (or maybe even because of) this disease.