Triumphant ‘Return From Rio’
Allysa Seely’s road to a gold medal didn’t follow a straight path. A good athlete from an early age, she earned a national triathlon ranking in her age group. And then came the 2010 neurological disorder diagnosis that turned her life upside down.
Trenten Merrill, Kaitlyn Verfuerth and Alyssa Seely
“They told me I’d be lucky if I walked again,” Seely, an Arizona State University graduate, told a crowd of more than 125 people at the Return From Rio Breakfast, presented by the Arizona Community Foundation Jerry Colangelo Center for Sports Philanthropy and Ability360 on Oct. 21. The event was held at Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center in Phoenix.
Seely’s story of perseverance, strength and determination underscored her keynote address at the event, which celebrated and recognized athletes from Arizona and elsewhere who joined her on Team USA at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Among them were long jumper Trenten Merrill from San Juan Capistrano, Calif. and three-time Paralympian wheelchair tennis player Kaitlyn Verfuerth from Flagstaff.
Following introductory remarks by Ability360 President and CEO Phil Pangrazio and Arizona Community Foundation President and CEO Steve Seleznow, Seely described her comeback that ultimately led to her gold medal in the Rio Games’ triathlon. Other athletes recognized at the event were Jim Roberts, a 2016 Great Britain wheelchair rugby Paralympian, and Arizona athletes Joe Delagrave, a member of the 2012 Paralympic Games bronze medal team; Nick Springer, a seven-time national champion and gold medalist; and Scott Hogsett, who was on the 2012 medal-winning team with Delagrave and a member of the 2008 gold medal-winning Paralympic team.
PHOTOS COURTESY ABILITY360
Ability360 President and CEO Phil Pangrazio
Elizabeth Kaplan, Arizona Coyotes Foundation, and Suzye Kleiner, Feeding Matters
Gus LaZear, Ability360; Bob McNichols, Longbow Golf Club; Meghan Fable, Ability360; and Mike McQuaid Sr., JM Management Company
Jackie Hutt, Playmkers; Lora Golke; and Morgan Bishop Franger, Arizona Community Foundation
Jennifer Longdon, Ability360, and Paralympian Trenten Merrill
Katie Hiro; Diane Veres, Clear Channel Communications; and Mary Slaughter, Ability360 Board of Directors
Meghan Fable, Ability360, and Kim Covington, Arizona Community Foundation
Suzye Kleiner, Feeding Matters; Kristie Leshinskie, Arizona Community Foundation; and Paige Campbell
