Meet our patient Leo

This is Leo’s incredible story in his own words!

“I was just 18 years old (2020) when I thought I had everything going my way. I skipped my Senior year of high school because I excelled in the classroom. I was also an All-State wrestler. At the time, I had an undefeated season with the goal of competing for Sacred Heart University, which is a Division I program, until I experienced a life-changing injury in the blink of an eye. I had suffered from a femur dislocation, with complete tears of ACL, PCL, LCL along with a severed peroneal nerve that has left me with a drop foot for the rest of my life. Whilst dealing with COVID-19 and the injury, I was mentally lost. I did not know my life had changed drastically, I did not know what the plan was going to be from here. With the assistance of my family and mentors, I received the first piece of good news: being accepted into the University of Rhode Island. To continue, I was challenged by the circumstances I was in, I had to balance physical therapy and the difficulty of being a kinesiology major throughout my entire college career. I either had to focus on getting back on my feet or my academics. I never gave up on either aspect; I managed to balance both challenges as I was taught to always trust the process. I told myself every morning that the pieces would come together eventually. I would like to shout out Terry Moreno, Physical Therapist from the University of Orthopedics, for being part of my journey since day 1. From meeting me at my lowest to helping me stand on my own again. I could not thank her enough. I have struggled academically, however, it was for good reason. After completing my journey in physical therapy and receiving my bachelor’s degree, I landed a full-time job at Brown University Health as a Rehabilitation Aide with an interest in becoming a licensed orthotist and prosthetist. I would also like to give a shout-out to Dave and the entire New Beginning staff for being such an influence and for being part of “my change!”. The first time I stepped into the office, I immediately felt welcomed; I saw nothing but smiles!”

Thank you for taking the time to read my story! Leo Salazar