Body
Throughout her 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and multiple deployments, Maryland resident Molly O. injured her spine several times. She underwent various surgeries, but none fully resolved the issues. Progressive complications from these injuries left her partially paralyzed, ending her military career. Although intensive physical therapy helped her to restore some function, Molly was told she’d never be able to play sports again.
Then, Molly got a chance to attend Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s military sports camp in Chicago — which offers intermediate-level sports experiences for veterans and active duty service members who have a primary physical disability.
Military sports camp is one of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s quality-of-life programs, which are offered at no cost or low cost thanks to the generosity of donors. In 2024, 34 individuals participated in military sports camp, with all costs — including flights, lodging, meals, transportation and instruction fees — completely covered.
When Molly participated in military sports camp, it transformed her life. Notably, she learned to ride a recumbent bike — an experience that brought her to tears.
“It was completely life-changing,” she said. “I never would have believed that I could ride a bike again if I hadn’t come to this camp.”
Molly not only reconnected with her love of fitness, but she also found a supportive community of veterans who understood her journey. She was able to participate alongside others facing similar challenges — sharing insights, laughter and the camaraderie that she had been missing since leaving the service.
Since that first camp, Molly bought her own recumbent bike and enjoys riding with her husband, something that once seemed impossible. She looks forward to trying other adaptive sports as well.
“Being able to bike again opened my eyes to all the other ways I’ve been holding myself back. I never thought in a million years that I could do any of these things again,” she said.
