This article is about Kevin Riley who is now a 46, and has a dx of paraplegia.
Kevin used to be an avid roller skater/dancer and teacher in Central Park. Due to his disability, which occured suddenly @ 33, his whole life initially changed. He ended up living w/his sister in an inaccessible apt., in a building w/an often broken elevator for 3 years. This article is about how he reclaimed his life and found ways to do what he loved, and share it, after his disability.
Kevin Riley, a New York Native, loved to teach roller skating/dancing in Central Park as his livlihood. He enjoyed the physical and social aspects of working independently and w/others in the park.
Suddenly @ 33 years old, he suffered a tumor right by his spine which left him a paraplegic.
He initially dealt with the realities of inaccessible housing, not being able to do both vocationlly and recreationally what he did before, and social isolation while living w/his sister for 3 yrs.
Once he was able to procur more accessible housing, he began to seek ways to go back to his passion for skating and teaching.
It took him some time to rebuild a plan and then his clientele, but he is on the right the track at this point. His attitude really changes when he talks about what he loves to do and it is clear that sharing this with others gives him tremendous satisfaction.
He is also now a member of "The Achilles Club" and races doing hand cycling which he trains for in the park.
My name is Amy Meisner-Threet. I was a dancer, then did musical theater. Worked at both the NY Renaissance Festival and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival doing 16th Century dance. Got my Equity Card, then SAG, later AFTRA by working on a children's show called "Ghostwriter". Later became a social worker w/ an MSW. Diagnosed w/Multiple Sclerosis in 1997. Now writing about other disabled people and their lives. Have bio in June "Able" and an article I wrote in the August issue.
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