16-year-old Kayla Bolnick is the only disabled girl competing in track and cross-country in Oregon. She is an accomplished swimmer and member of a wheelchair basketball team. Her coach, Laura Riddler, acknowledges Kayla’s passion for sports. As she watches her team race up the court, Riddler exclaims, “Kayla may be paralyzed from the knees down, but she’s still playing basketball like any other child.” Kayla’s father, Eric Bolnick, has always been the driving force in her life to get involved. And it’s all due to a single sentence uttered by their doctor before she was even born.

With sweaty palms and eager hearts, Eric and his wife awaited to learn the gender of their new baby. As visions of blue and pink swam through their heads, no one could’ve predicted this day would change their lives forever. Within minutes, they found out they were expecting a baby girl. Overwhelmed with joy as tears brimmed their eyes, neither of them heard the words “permanently disabled” escape the doctor’s lips.

Five months later, Kayla was born with spina bifida. For Eric, it wasn’t the initial diagnosis that left him stunned, but it was what followed. The doctor inhaled deeply and uttered a sentence no one ever expects to hear, “Most parents choose to abort their child at this stage.” In that instance, Eric’s entire outlook on life changed. He said, “One second you learn you’re going to have a daughter, and the next you’re told to abort your child.” The news weighed heavy on his shoulders; however, he knew that he would spend the rest of his life ensuring Kayla wasn’t defined by her disability.

At age 4, Kayla tried her first adaptive wheelchair. But she wasn’t used to the balance it took to maneuver it, so she fell back and banged her head. After the incident, Kayla refused to try again, but Eric jumped into action. He plopped himself in the same chair, rode around, and tipped over just like she had. Kayla learned that no matter your limitations it takes practice and perseverance to improve at any skill.

Eric advocates every day to create better opportunities for Kayla and other children with disabilities by speaking up at school board meetings and involving himself in adaptive programs. He hopes more parents step up and help implement accessible programs in schools while urging their kids to get involved. “It doesn’t have to be sports, but they have to join something, so they aren’t just the ‘kid in the wheelchair’, Eric exclaimed. “Life is scary. But they have to learn how to be a kid.” Recreation is a right and not a privilege, so if focus is placed on capabilities and not limitations, the quality of life for people with disabilities can be significantly improved.

By: Riley Van Eyck