Reveca Torres

Several years ago, while on a family vacation in Mexico, Reveca fractured her spinal cord in an automobile accident and was paralyzed. She immediately knew something was wrong when she could not move. It was awhile before someone passed this rural area and was able to help the Torres family to the nearest medical facility. Once the family realized Reveca had injured her spine it was obvious her medical needs would be extensive and arrangements were made to have her transferred to the nearest medical center in Texas. After weeks in Intensive Care and surgery she was stable enough to return to Chicago. Having an incomplete injury and with no guarantee as to how her body would recover, she spent the next three months at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago relearning activities of daily life and adjusting to a wheelchair.

Reveca finished high school and started college unsure if she could physically pursue the career she had always dreamed of, fashion design. With a few adaptations she was the first student using a wheelchair to complete the fashion degree at Harper College in Palatine, IL where she featured collections and was a representative and finalist at the Fashion Group International (FGI) Costume Design Competition. She continued her studies in Theater Arts at the University of Arizona (UA).

It was at the UA that Reveca became interested in adaptive sports and fitness in general. Upon returning to Chicago, she realized the lack of fitness opportunities for people with disabilities in the area and decided to change that. Reveca has worked with Shriners Hospital for Children, Mobility International USA (MIUSA), AthletiCo Fitness and Performance, and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) National Center for Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD). With their help she has been able to provide resources on recreation, disability rights, college, travel, employment, and fitness to people with disabilities, specifically teenagers.

Reveca recently visited Project Walk in California and was very impressed by the positive environment and optimism.  She enjoyed being at a rehab facility that believes there is no limit for improvement for anyone living with paralysis regardless of how many years it has been since their injury.   To learn more about Reveca, visit Backbones.