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"Words cannot express what Triumph means to us."

The SECOND best thing about the holidays is picking out a special gift for someone you care about.

What's the BEST thing about the holidays? Watching them open it.

Last month, we brought Christmas early to Damarius, one of Triumph’s bravest kids. You might remember when we introduced you to him a couple years back. His story - both the hardships and the triumphs - continues to inspire us to do all we can to serve families like his.

"When I see people in wheelchairs they pop wheelies, I wish I did that before, but now I can."

Watch the video below and share our joy in being able to give Damarius one very special gift.

Bravest Kid - Damarius

In 2020, we introduced you to a little boy named Damarius. In 2019, when he was four years old, Damarius and his family were in a tragic car accident in Utah. He was the lone survivor and suffered a spinal cord injury. Immediately, his great Uncle Fred and Aunt Irma adopted him into their home in Long Beach, CA. Triumph Foundation met Damarius shortly after when he was in rehab giving him a Care Pack of resources and offering our services to the family, including a wheelchair just his size handed down to him from another little boy through Triumph’s Equipment Exchange. This was the beginning of a lifeline for ongoing support and assistance.

Fast forward to earlier this year, Triumph held a sitting volleyball clinic in San Pedro. It was there that we reconnected with 7-year-old Damarius after the pandemic and learned that he was doing well but still had many struggles. One that stood out to us was his current wheelchair situation. Kids grow fast - and Damarius had outgrown the wheelchair we gave him previously. And the larger wheelchair he was using from insurance lacked a seatbelt and other safety devices. Because of this, his school would not allow him to attend class without the proper set up. Triumph leaped into action - the family completed a wheelchair request form, and we got him a chair outfitted with all the necessary equipment to enable him to return to school.

Damarius loves sports, and he and his family regularly attend our adaptive recreation events to learn how to play a variety of wheelchair sports and connect with other families who have similar life-experiences. One highlight is he came to our Over-the-Line Wheelchair Baseball Tournament and joined a team of two other para-athletes. They competed and won the entire tournament! Damarius had the biggest smile when they won the final game. To top it all, as we continue assisting him and his family, we are now helping him get a handcycle of his own so that he can ride with his cousins.

Because of your support, we are making quality-of-life a reality for him and his family

Merry Christmas from Triumph!

As we get ready to ring in a new year, we remember all the friends and relationships who have made this year so meaningful. Whether you have been the grateful recipient of our services or donated or volunteered to make Triumph even better, we are so grateful that you have chosen to be part of this movement to help people with spinal cord injury and disabilities live lives of impact.

"As the world attempts a comeback from a year of setbacks, let each one of us pursue our own incredible comebacks."
- Andrew Skinner

If you or someone you know needs help, please contact us.