Miracle Network Dance Marathon

I grew up in Atlanta and, at the age of 17, I became a patient at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta after a jet ski accident resulted in the loss of my leg and the death of my father. I spent a month in the hospital the year before I began college. Following my initial stay, I returned multiple times a week for physical therapy throughout most of my senior year of high school. What makes this connection truly special is the close bond I developed with the staff at the Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (CIRU) within the hospital. They not only provided exceptional care, but also became like family to me, holding a very special place in my heart that endures to this day.

I chose to become a part of Dance Marathon at the University of Georgia because of my personal connection to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The experience of receiving care at this local children's hospital left an unforgettable mark on me, and it became abundantly clear to me that I wanted to be part of something bigger, something that would allow me to give back to an institution that had touched my life in such a significant way. Hence, my decision to join Dance Marathon and contribute to the cause was a resounding "yes" driven by a deep-seated desire to make a positive impact on the lives of children who, like me, had found themselves in need of the remarkable care provided by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. I spent a month here on the comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation floor, which is the primary beneficiary of the first $1 million raised by UGA Miracle.