My son, Ben Iammartino, is one of my favorite people in the world and I hope you enjoy hearing about him as much as I love talking about him. On June 5th, 2024, at age 15, Ben deadlifted #330 pounds at the gym before going to the beach with friends. 8 hours later he had to be rescued from Lake Michigan. He made a dive off an outcropping of rocks and he broke his neck rendering him a C5 incomplete quadriplegic. He is paralyzed from the chest down and has incredibly limited use of his hands. He will never walk again. This is a great photo montage of Ben's Journey You can turn the sound on in the bottom right-hand corner. Ben has spent the past two years fighting harder than I can even imagine. His weightlifter mentality has given him the strength to attend rehab for 10 hours a week. He graduated High School early. He goes to an adaptive CrossFit gym. He's made do with his physical limitations. He's never waivered in his ability to work hard. He has kept a positive attitude when he realized he'll never build a fire again. He's kept a positive attitude when he's realized he'll need personal care every day of his life. He kept a positive attitude when my wife, his mom, had a double mastectomy last fall and continues to go through her cancer journey. The empathy he shows her is unreal. For the past 2 years, Ben has needed 4 to 5 hours of care, each day, and this care has been primarily given by his parents. That is too much time for a high school-age boy to be in front of his parents. He became a quadriplegic at 15 and just turned 18 on July 22nd. It's time for him to gain independence and test his mettle. He'll be attending college in the fall of 2024 and he needs every opportunity to gain as much independence as possible. This is a great photo montage of Ben's Journey Ben has an opportunity to attend a program near Dallas at the Adaptive Training Foundation The ATF was set up to work with athletes that need additional support. Veterans. Amputees. Quads. Ben will attend the ReDefine Program: The ReDefine Program provides adaptive athletes with 9 weeks of customized training with a group of other individuals experiencing similar struggles. Not only do athletes receive physical training, but they receive tools to redefine their sense of self through mindfulness and mental training. Ben then attends a 10th week where he 'redeploys' into the world with a new sense of self. Ben will live in a hotel suite by himself. He'll manage his personal care attendants by himself. He'll go to the movies with other members of the cadre and maybe go to the movies. In short, he'll be independent. Like he should be. For the first time in two years. For the first time as a quadriplegic. He's so excited. This program is cost-free in that his lodging and training is covered. What is not covered is the $1,200 in weekly personal care fees so that he can have assistance showering, doing laundry, cooking, etc. What is not covered is my wife and I's travel to drop him off and pick him up. Along with the daily expenses that just come with living as a quadriplegic. After his journey the past 2 years and my wife's cancer journey last year we are tired but resilient. This program will, no doubt, alter the course of my son's life. Please take the time to learn more about this incredible program. Please take some time to learn about my son. And, please, share my son's story. Thank you, Steve and Cathy Iammartino
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