The Background

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a man who was seeking out a personal trainer for his daughter, Michelle. While his email was lengthy, I was only able to gather a little bit of information regarding his intentions or his daughter's need for a personal trainer. I was curious to know why a father would be seeking out a trainer for his 26 year old daughter...why wasn't she contacting me?


As our emails bounced back and forth and I learned a little bit more about Michelle and her family, I decided we all needed to sit down for an in person consultation. At about 2:00 in the afternoon, two cars lurched into the One to One Health studio parking lot -- a large van and a souped up jeep. From the jeep, a handsome and rugged man in his forties stepped out with his hands in his pockets and eyes down. From the other vehicle, a slender and beautiful young woman emerged from the back of a van, her eyes bright and a big smile across her face. She was in a wheel chair.


At this point, I still was unclear what her needs were. Why she was in a wheel chair and what she was hoping to gain from personal training. I still did not know how she ended up in a wheel chair or if she had been there her entire life. Before the two came through the door, I rummaged through my emails to see if I had missed something, but the emails revealed nothing.


I greeted the two as they came through the front door and guided them to my waiting room where we could all sit comfortably. I looked to Jeff, Michelle's father, "So, tell me everything."


Jeff looked down as if he didn't know where to begin, but you could see in his face that he had told this story before, many times.


"Michelle's story begins when she left for college in San Diego. During her freshman year, Michelle was a healthy and active 19 year old who suddenly fell ill." Michelle sat by his side in her chair, nodding.


"So, what happened?" I asked.


Michelle lifted her eyes to me and slowly but surely began to explain, "One day my legs were weak, the next day I fell down and I can't really remember the rest."


"The doctors explained that an unknown virus had caused the white matter of Michelle's brain to swell. The virus caused Michelle to develop leukoencephalopathy, a rare neurological disorder that is not well understood and has left us without answers." Both Jeff and Michelle looked disheartened. "Michelle has been in and out of the hospital for months. Neurologically she is there, 100%, physically she is trapped, unable to walk."


As I looked into their eyes, I saw pain and confusion. I found myself on the verge of tears and my heart aching with empathy.


"So you're looking for a personal trainer to do what exactly?" I looked to both of them for an answer.


"We want Michelle to be independent again. We want her to be able to walk. As a father, I'd like to walk her down the aisle one day. But money is tight and we need help. Michelle is in physical therapy, speech therapy, aquatic therapy and is receiving acupuncture. We are doing everything we can to make her well again."


I titled my head to the side as an empathetic gesture, a tear running across my cheek, I confirmed, "I'll do whatever I can."


That was two weeks ago. Today, Michelle and I finished our second session together. We are off to a strong start despite our limitations and her unveiled determination will continue to inspire both of us throughout this journey.