Beating the Odds as a Mother, Veteran, and Adaptive Athlete Sharona Young is teaching her daughter about persistence through example. The 38-year-old Navy veteran was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) while on active duty. She manages a debilitating disease while raising her daughter, attending college classes, and practicing adaptive sports. Staying physically and mentally active is an act of empowerment for Sharona as she beats the odds every day. MS is an unpredictable disease that affects 90 out of 100,000 people in the U.S., with most cases occurring in women. Sharona was working as an executive assistant for a Navy division commander overseas when she began to feel numbness, weakness, and lack of balance. “That was a difficult period,” Sharona recalled. She gradually lost mobility and now uses a wheelchair to get around. “That’s been a struggle to come to terms with and accept. The loss of mobility was a big one for me.” At first, she didn’t think Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) was for her – because she wasn’t injured during combat. “I wasn’t on the front lines; I’m not a wounded warrior,” she thought. But then she learned that WWP serves veterans with invisible, as well as visible, wounds. WWP has been there for Sharona through milestones that have helped her move closer to independence and success. She found motivation in adaptive sports and discovered different ways to manage her new normal. Sharona has participated in WWP’s Independence Program, Soldier Ride®, and adaptive sports events. She practices wheelchair tennis weekly at USTA courts near her home in Orlando. She has also tried adaptive kayaking with a group of veterans. Sharona enjoys handcycling, and her daughter, Taylor, often joins her on bike rides around the neighborhood, usually with Sharona on a hand tricycle and Taylor on an upright bike. “Sometimes Taylor uses my hand tricycle to get a feel for an upper-body workout,” Sharona said.
A Mother-Daughter Team That playfulness in her relationship with her daughter helps make challenges more manageable and gives Sharona the motivation to push through. There were times when Taylor expressed concern about being separated from her mom because of deployments. When Sharona retired, she told her daughter that she wouldn’t be away from her anymore. “It’s going to be me and you now,” Sharona recalled saying. 6
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But when Sharona started doing adaptive sports events, sometimes she had to travel out of town. Taylor asked her mom if she could come along. “Now when I sign up for an event, I try to make sure I can take her with me,” Sharona said. Since then, Taylor has had the opportunity to see her mom play tennis in Florida and do winter sports in New York. “She gets to go with me and gets to meet people with all levels of ability,” Sharona said. “She’s comfortable being around anyone and has a caring attitude. It’s second nature to her.” Sharona and Taylor like to travel, and they find opportunities during summer and school breaks to take mother-and-daughter trips. “I want her to learn that you can still get out and do the things you like to do, even if you have medical issues,” Sharona said. “You can still do things you enjoy.” Beyond Independence Coming back stateside after a Navy career that took her to Spain, Jordan, the Persian Gulf, and England, Sharona had to reimagine her career and her personal life as she learned to manage MS. Her sister moved to Orlando from Minneapolis to provide support for both Sharona and Taylor. WWP filled in gaps by providing an independence coach who works with Sharona twice per week. Sharona relishes her independence, but she has also learned to rely on others. Sharona’s coach helps her run errands, set physical therapy goals, and plan for long days while attending college classes at the University of Central Florida. “My coach helps me set a schedule and stick to it,” Sharona said. With doctor appointments, a daughter in middle school, and college courses in graphic design, planning is key to managing the load. But it’s all part of personal goals she’s happy to have the chance to reach for. “I’ve always been interested in computer design and developing computer programs, and eventually, I want to build websites and create branding logos for clients.” Sharona believes in finding something that brings joy and pursuing it earnestly. “Be open-minded and flexible,” Sharona said -