“Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common.Celebrate it every day.”— Author Unknown
The Kyle Pease Foundation knows this well, succinctly summing it up in the motto, “Together We Wheel!”. Initially, a grassroots group with the goal of getting individuals who have special needs involved in road races, KPF has evolved into an experience for the whole family.
Family is a big part of the Walking with KPeasey narrative. It's about connection, reinforcing bonds among family members and building resilience for navigating life's ups and downs. Parents and siblings who champion for inclusion and support their loved ones through racing prove to be a positive impact on the entire family unit.
A veteran chair athlete and KPF employee, Justin Knight is more confident and aware of who he is and what he’s capable of.
“Meeting KPF opened up a whole new world for us to not only do something tremendous together but for J-Dude to have experiences that he never imagined,” saysTeresa Knight, Justin’s mom. “The family that we have gained in KPF is immeasurable and has totally changed our life.”
Creating a community for families typically isolated because of their diverse challenges, helps them realize they are not alone.
Chair athlete Julia Goutiex loves going fast. She loves to feel the wind blowing through her hair racing around corners with her dad, Pascal, pushing.
“Joining KPF has enabled us to meet other families going through the same stuff and helped us put things into perspective… And helped us approach life in a different way.”
Creating opportunities for families to get together, have fun and share information and resources that help in everyday living is another by-product of KPF’s mission.
Sherry Adams loves racing, according to her mom and dad.
“We get to be with other families and understand their struggles and share resources and live life to the fullest!”
These positive experiences contribute to the overall well being of families creating stronger bonds among each other and to the community.
“Kevin and I ran many road races by ourselves before joining the KPF family. Although we enjoyed doing so, we never had the sense of team and camaraderie that we now experience as part of KPF,” added Rich Enners.
Ricardo Aranda’s brother, Christian Aranda, says that “KFP has been completely life changing for our family. The opportunities we’ve been able to experience were unforgettable and would have been unachievable without KPF. We thank KPF for everything they’ve done for our family and we are forever grateful. “
A thriving environment helps us all appreciate and celebrate our differences whether you’re an in-chair athlete, push athlete or family member.