Paralyzed Woman Hikes Appalachian Trail
OutdoorHub Reporters 06.28.16
There may come a time in your life when circumstances compromise your ability to do the things you love. At that point, you must make a choice to give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got and persevere.
An example of steadfastness when faced with obstacles is 41-year-old Stacey Kozel. Life handed her lemons when she was in a car accident and simultaneously faced a lupus flare that rendered her immobile. Two years later, she is making lemonade by hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Tackling the Appalachian Trail is a big task even for the able-bodied, so how is someone with Stacey’s physical limitations doing so? The answer lies in the C-Braces that she wears on her legs. These specialized braces have sensors built in which adjust the amount of tension they deliver to her knees. This creates a combination of technology and upper-body strength that allows her to walk, as she discusses on her Facebook page.
Trekking 20 miles daily, up and down mountains from sun up to sun down, Kozel has three months of hiking under her belt, with plans to finish around July 4th. By completing the trail, she hopes to make a point to insurance companies that the $75,000 C-Braces can help paralyzed individuals get out of their wheelchairs and back to living a full life, just as she has.
Her message is also something we could all stand to hear from time to time: Don’t give up. Strap on whatever necessary to keep going.
