Skating Through Life’s Obstacles
Today my buddy, Parker Fellon, turns five years old! I had the pleasure of meeting Parker when I visited my daughter and son-in-law in Hershey PA. My daughter, Taylor, met Parker and his family (Mom – Laura, Dad – Dan, and big brother – Blake) through a therapeutic skating program called, “Wheels on Ice” where Taylor and Parker could skate around and play some hockey using his manual wheelchair. Parker’s smile is contagious and his attitude is unmatched. He does not allow his spastic cerebral palsy to define him and he has an unbelievable support system in place.
Taylor works for Gold Medal Strategies and works closely with our partner, Numotion. We are constantly looking to improve on how to be the best spokesperson and advocate for the CRT (complex rehab technology) industry. When we learned that Parker was a Numotion customer, and the positive impact that they have had on his life, it was amazing. Numotion is leading the nation in the CRT industry, changing the lives of countless people, with and without a disability. To see how Parker’s manual wheelchair, or what he likes to call his “blue racer”, gave him so much independence was heartwarming.
I made a point to talk to Dan and Laura about not only Parker’s experience with Numotion, but their experience as caretakers. It is so important for people to realize that just like anything else in life, your family stands by you through the ups and downs and feels every success and heartbreak along the way. We shared similar stories about how hard parenting can be at times and how we would do anything for our children. I was happy to know that Numotion has been able to support them whenever they have a question or need an adjustment for Parker’s “blue racer”. They have a long journey ahead of them and knowing that Numotion will be there to provide Parker with the best equipment possible provides some comfort to both the Fellon family and our team.
There is no doubt in my mind that Parker will accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. The love he has for his family and support system is unwavering. The last time I got the chance to skate with Parker, he not only scored a bunch of goals on me, but he put me in the penalty box for two minutes energetically saying, “high sticking!”. When I asked to come out he replied, “nope, you still have thirty seconds!”. Numotion is changing the way people view the CRT industry and coming up with solutions for every individual, knowing that one size does not fit all. My hope is that the CRT industry continues to improve and we are just at the forefront of the innovation that has yet to come, giving many people you may know the best opportunity to live life to the fullest and have the mindset and attitude of Parker and the Fellon family. So, Parker, Happy 5thBirthday – be good for your mom and dad or next time I’ll be putting you in the penalty box!
Jim Craig