Our Story

The Rise Through Resilience Foundation was created from our family’s experience after Matt’s spinal cord injury due to a motor vehicle accident in 2021. At the time, we had young children and a life that felt full and ordinary—until everything changed in an instant. What followed were days marked by fear, uncertainty, and the overwhelming reality of navigating a world we never expected to enter. We had no idea what Matt’s future would look like, or whether he would ever regain the independence he once had. We, like so many others, were told he would never walk again.

As the months unfolded, we learned that recovery from neurological injury depends not just on determination, but on access—to specialized care, to informed guidance, and to people who believe improvement is possible. We were fortunate to have the ability to advocate, the medical literacy to understand complex decisions, and the resources to seek out the right clinicians. Those advantages shaped the trajectory of Matt’s recovery. Even so, the road was, and is, long, exhausting, and full of moments where hope felt fragile.

The Turning Point: Finding Adaptletics

Everything changed when we found Dr. Chris Carroll with Adaptletics. Dr. Carroll brought a level of motivation, creativity, optimism, and clinical expertise that transformed Matt’s rehabilitation. He challenged him relentlessly, pushed the boundaries of what he was told was achievable, and approached every setback with problem-solving and belief rather than limitation.

Adaptletics' individualized, neuro-focused care made one thing undeniably clear: not all care is the same, and access to the right kind of rehabilitation can dramatically alter outcomes.

Even with extraordinary support, Matt’s progress has been defined most by his own resilience. His commitment to showing up, pushing through pain, adapting, and trying again—day after day—has been nothing short of remarkable. After years in a wheelchair, he learned to walk again and his recovery journey continues. His perseverance represents the possibility we hope others can feel.

Why We Exist

Along our journey, we have seen the devastating consequences when people don’t have access to appropriate care: preventable complications, long-term setbacks, and life-threatening secondary conditions. Too many individuals with spinal cord and neurological injuries are limited not by their potential, but by the systems and barriers that restrict their access to care. We feel incredibly fortunate for the resources, knowledge, and support that guided Matt’s recovery—and it is impossible to ignore how many others are not given the same chance. Our experience became a call to action.

Our Mission

The Rise Through Resilience Foundation exists to expand access to high-quality rehabilitation, equipment, education, and clinical support for individuals living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological illnesses or injuries. In partnership with Adaptletics, we aim to ensure that more people receive the kind of care that changed our lives—and that more families experience the hope and progress we were lucky enough to find.

Our purpose is simple: to share the resilience, inspiration, and possibility that carried us through the darkest moments of our journey—and to help others rise through their own.