Blog

Every now and then we sit down to have a chat with the Soulo community to learn about their experience with life, aging, and independence. Today's we’re spotlighting Junior, a specialist in adaptive sports and rehabilitation.

Junior spent over two decades helping individuals recovering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. But life has a way of bringing us full circle — after years spent empowering others, Junior found himself needing the very support he once provided. 

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A Path to Purpose

Junior grew up in Hawaii and moved to California for college, where he played football and majored in public administration. After college, he worked for the city government of Carson, California before following love to Minnesota. He landed a job as the Paralympic Sports Coordinator at the Courage Center (now Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute), despite having no background in adaptive sports or rehabilitation and learned quickly.

 

 

He worked closely with athletes to fine-tune and adjust their wheelchair equipment, coordinated team travel, and ensured they were ready to compete. Along the way, he witnessed both the intensity and risks of adaptive sports—softball players colliding and being thrown from their chairs, the fear of not knowing how to get back in, and the grind of traveling while navigating the reality of hotel rooms that weren’t always truly accessible. What stuck with him most, though, was the resilience of the athletes and the dedication of their families. “I couldn’t be more of a fan or more supportive of them,” Junior says.

 

 

Over the years, Junior worked with remarkable athletes like Manny, a gold medalist in sled hockey, and Deandra, a woman with cerebral palsy who, despite being non-verbal, enjoyed playing soccer and earned two degrees in physics and engineering. These experiences gave him an unshakable appreciation for the determination and strength within the disabled community.

 

Facing a New Reality

Despite a career spent supporting people with mobility challenges, Junior never expected to face such challenges himself. What began as mild weakness on his left side led to a devastating diagnosis — a spinal cord lesion that ultimately left him paralyzed. After a year of surgeries, MRIs, and hospitalization, he found himself in a new reality, reliant on adaptive equipment and facing the mental and emotional hurdles of losing mobility.

“I would’ve never thought that trimming nails would be hard,” Junior says, reflecting on the small but significant struggles of daily life. “Independence is everything. I want to keep as much independence as I can.”

 

Rediscovering Purpose

Junior’s journey toward reclaiming independence has been filled with learning and adaptation. He outfitted his home with ramps, chair lifts, and a bidet. He has a power chair upstairs and a manual chair downstairs. He reorganized his closet for accessibility and found creative solutions to continue doing what he loves, like cooking. But more than anything, he’s had to learn to ask for help.

“It’s hard coming from an able-bodied world,” he admits. “But it’s okay to ask for help.”

Though his circumstances have changed, his mission remains the same — empowerment. Junior continues to coach wheelchair softball and basketball and serves as the Vice President of Wheelchair Softball. His advocacy has only strengthened, pushing for better access to adaptive equipment, mental health support, and community resources.

 

Advice for Those Facing Mobility Challenges

For anyone struggling with newfound mobility challenges, Junior offers some advice:

• Prioritize Mental Health: “Your mind is your biggest barrier. Being disabled attacks your mental health in ways you don’t expect. Seek support, talk to professionals, and be honest about how you’re feeling.”

• Build a Support Network: “Work with your family, therapists, and social workers to find solutions. There are more resources than you think, but you have to reach out.”

• Stay Connected: “Rehabilitation doesn’t end when you leave the hospital. Keep in touch with your care team, join support groups, and don’t isolate yourself.”

• Embrace Adaptation: “Independence looks different, but it’s still possible. Find tools that help—whether it’s adaptive sports, assistive devices, or products that make daily tasks easier.”

Junior’s journey reminds us that while life may change in unexpected ways, resilience, community, and the willingness to adapt can pave the way forward.