Today we’d like to introduce you to Rey Grandoit

Hi Rey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I grew up in a Haitian immigrant household, where I saw my mom and dad work hard every day. My mom would sell jewelry, shoes, and clothes on the weekend to make extra money to pay bills. So, I was motivated to be and do better, looking at my circumstances and not letting it define me.

I was paralyzed at the tender age of 14 years old due to bacterial spinal meningitis, which left me wheelchair bound.

My life and my dreams were shattered in an instant. Dreams of going to the NBA, having a family, and buying my mom a house were gone or at least I thought. I was devastated internally.

Can you imagine all the adversity, challenges and obstacles that comes with being in a wheelchair? Well, I knew it was going to be a fight, however it was self-development without me even being aware of it. Like Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan, until they get knocked out.” I was knocked out with no plan. Even the doctors said, “You will never walk again.”

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

The story of the experience of pain in my body has been a journey of healing, growth, and perseverance. I became paralyzed at the age of 14 due to bacterial meningitis which paralyzed me from the waist down. With paralysis came with a snowball of medical problems. However, my wakeup call was when my father passed away in 2014 from Parkinson disease which put a fire in my belly to take ownership of my health. I began reading books about our brain from Dr. Leaf: Switch on your brain, Extreme ownership, and Feelings Buried Alive.

This capsulate my knowledge and gain a growth mindset with positivity. I would get extremely tired, must lay down a lot due to paralysis because sitting all time, a sore bum and pain in my lower back. A disability is a like a full-time job plus overtime. However, I learnt to empower my mind with knowledge w/ inspiration and get my body in motion because whatever is in motion stays in motion. No more stinky thinking and more thinking of possibilities. Taking it one day at a time, tackling every adversity with a solution based approached.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I remember when Covid hit and I just went into a slump, stop doing my videos, exercising. I felt like a fraud because I was preaching exercise, stay positive, and believe you can do it when you put your mind to it. So, one day I saw a program online named Wowii and immediately join because I knew I needed some type of support to get out this slump. True indeed Wowii was exactly what I needed, a great reminder of habits, accountability and community was the nudge to set me on the fire to my workout routine. I handcycle, go the gym, swimming, rock climbing and at home do the hand bike. Every time I work out the blood flows so well in my body the pain either goes away or decreases significantly, I sleep better, my breathing has improved, less anxiety, better skin, the benefits has been endless on my journey of living a whole life.

The reason I became a peer mentor because I have accomplished so much despite my disability but in my eyes, I didn’t look at these things as accomplishments. However, to other persons with disabilities it was inspiring and motivation to do the same. How on I got involved with Wowii was after the program I would post videos of me working at the gym doing pull ups, winning races, and Katherine took wind of it and need a new peer facilitator and email me. Of course, I was honored to help carry the torch to inspire my peers to exercise and facilitate conversation around the topics at hand persons with disabilities face on a day to day. My method to tackle this issue is called G.P.A., which means Gratitude, Perspective, Attitude. Every session we start with a mindfulness moment. My goal after each session is for everyone to feel motivated, educated, seen, and heard by fostering conversation with stories and questions.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?

My experience with living with a disability (spinal cord injury) has been enlightening, painful, helpful, inspiring, challenging and a true blessing to who I am becoming. I remember when I was about 19 years old putting my wheelchair in the car and my girlfriend at the time wanted to help me and she was struggling with the wheelchair and she said, “I can’t deal with this hell”. In my mind if she couldn’t deal with this hell of putting my wheelchair in the car, man ol man she may not be ready to go on this journey with me. I looked at her and she immediately said, I’m sorry.”

The lessons I took from that was that my life has many barriers, therefore I must identify to rectify. These problems are opportunities to attempt to understand, learn, reflect and apply possible solutions. It’s like putting a puzzle together or solving an FBI case. You need data, facts, feedback, and much importantly instinct. Some mentors that serve as a role model for me was Judge Reginald Lindsey, Kenneth Mumphford, and my father.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reygrandoit.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ownyourinspiration/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ownyourinspiration12
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OwnYourInspiration
• Other: https://www.ownyourinspiration.com/

Image Credits
-Seana Williamson
-Yuri Vaysgant