Rodney became a paraplegic as a young adult from a motor bike accident. “Through the journey of obtaining a new body, I found sports,” Rodney shares. He became a wheelchair dancer with an internationally renowned dance troupe in the San Francisco Bay Area.
But in 2013, Rodney was laid off from the dance company. And before long, he ended up homeless. Rodney whittled all of his belongings down to fit into one backpack, and spent most nights on the benches down at the pier.
During this time, Rodney says he met a lot of people in his situation, many of whom had been homeless most of their lives. It was a time of crucial healing for him. One where he found a “real deep humbleness.” With the help of an organization called HandUp, things began to change for Rodney. “They gave me this huge opportunity go get back up on my wheels,” he shares.
HandUp members get an opportunity to set up an online profile and make a short video with goals they want to reach. This is then shared with friends who are able to donate or assist with goals. “I accumulated enough funds to get a laptop within a couple weeks, so that I could find employment and dance,” shares Rodney. Through HandUp, Rodney was not only able to get the financial support he needed, but he also received the gift of emotional support as well.
“I hope to inspire and uplift our community of disabled young youth. Because we all can dance. It’s just getting that little lift up – or hand up, I should say.”
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