Life can change in an instant. For one young man, TJ, that instant happened on a football field. “As soon as I hit him,” he recalls, “I heard this loud crack.” 30 seconds before halftime, the life he knew—a life that revolved around sports and a dream of becoming a high school coach—was altered forever.
In the ambulance, reeling from the injury, his first thought was not for himself, but for his family. “I just remember looking at her going, ‘Mom, I’m so sorry this happened.'” He knew, instinctively, that this catastrophic event would not only change his life but would send ripples through his entire family.
This is a reality for millions of Americans living with disabilities. The challenge doesn’t end with the initial injury or diagnosis. It becomes part of every day, continuing the daily tasks many of us take for granted. For TJ, this means needing physical help getting out of bed in the morning, getting dressed, and managing other personal needs.
These are the fundamental barriers that stand between a person and a productive life. And this is where an incredible organization, Helping Restore Ability (HRA), steps in.
The Power of Independence
TJ is a motivated and hardworking individual. He works part-time at Lift-Aids, Inc., an amazing company that converts vehicles and homes for people with disabilities, helping them gain mobility. But to get to his job—to even start his day and have the opportunity to contribute—he relies on an attendant.
“What they pay for,” TJ explains, “is my attendant care.”
Helping Restore Ability provides the essential funding that allows TJ to hire the help he needs to live. It’s a solution that empowers him with dignity and choice. Without this critical support, his options would be painfully limited. He would be forced to rely on friends or family, whose ability to help is often constrained by their own jobs and personal responsibilities.
The Stark Alternative
What happens when that support system isn’t there? The alternative is a stark and devastating loss of potential.
As TJ puts it, “All I’m going to do is just be rolling around in one little room at a nursing home, not doing anything, not giving anything back.” It’s a future devoid of opportunity. “I could be impacting lives,” he says, “instead I’m just sitting there and my life is just pretty much gone without the help of somebody.”
This Isn’t a Handout, It’s an Opportunity
This is the core message of TJ’s story and the vital mission of HRA. The support they provide is not a handout. It is a lifeline. It’s the key that unlocks a person’s potential.
“It’s not like I sprained my knee or something,” TJ says passionately. “I am just asking for me to have a chance to succeed. That’s all I want to do.”
That chance is everything. It’s the chance to work, to feel “proud of myself” when he comes home after a productive day. It’s the chance to “give back and help people” who are in a similar situation.
This support is the fundamental difference between a life of isolation and dependency and a life of purpose, contribution, and pride. Helping Restore Ability provides that bridge, giving individuals like TJ the chance not just to live, but to succeed.
To learn more about Helping Restore Ability and how you can support their mission to empower individuals, visit hratexas.org.