“We love the sports program. We love that people are challenging themselves to get out of their comfort zone.”
Former offensive lineman Mike Utley suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury playing for the Detroit Lions in 1991. Through rehabilitation, he now has complete use of his upper extremities.
“Life goes on, but you have to choose. You have to make a difference in your life.”
Since 2021, the Mike Utley Foundation has invested more than $52,000 providing adaptive sports equipment that help athletes of all ages participate in wheelchair rugby, basketball, cycling, and other parasports.
“The foundation will continue supporting outreach, which Mary Free Bed does here, is get out there and reach the communities.”
Director of Integrated Therapies and Adaptive Recreation Maria Besta says the foundation has had a huge impact on the program.
“We have athletes who come to us from all different socioeconomic backgrounds, and not everybody can afford a $5,000 chair, and so the foundation has enabled us to be able to get some of this equipment so that we can tell our athletes, ‘You can play.’”
Thanks to the foundation, Mary Free Bed has been able to purchase 14 pieces of specialized adaptive sports equipment.
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