Mother of 4 children is paralyzed from the waist down and her husband leaves her: she shows the world her rebirth
Unfortunately, there are some diseases that can make the world collapse around those affected suddenly. One moment you leading a "normal" life, the next moment you are confined to a wheelchair: this is what happened to a mother of 4 children, Riona Kelly, 37. The woman had a spinal stroke which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors told her she could no longer walk and, as if that weren't enough, after just five days in hospital, her husband filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage.
via The Sun
Notwithstanding this, Riona has decided not to give up for the sake of her four children, Leighanra, 16, Caleb, 11, Izabela, 9, and Logan, 5. "After my husband left me in the hospital, my friend Sarah became my closest family. And it was she and the children who supported me during my recovery. Looking back, I was unhappy in my marriage, but we had built a life together and we had responsibilities," she said.
However, Riona's journey was not without obstacles - far from it: the hardest part was having to adapt to life in a wheelchair. "The first time I went out in a wheelchair, I thought everyone was looking at me - I hated it and I hated myself. If someone had given me the choice, I would have ended my life. I didn't want to live anymore".
Yet Riona did not give up: miraculously, after hours of physiotherapy, she was finally able to take her first steps on the parallel bar. "I was dragging my body and I no longer could feel my legs, but I didn't care - I was walking and that was the only thing that mattered. My consultant was very excited, he couldn't believe I had made it. Every day I improved and after four months in hospital, I was finally allowed to go home," she said.
During her recovery, Riona met personal trainer Keith Mason, 35. After working together in physiotherapy sessions, the two fell madly in love with each other. "After our sessions, Keith and I stayed in touch. He asked me how I was and our relationship blossomed from there," explained Riona. "We've been together for over a year now. The kids like him a lot and I finally feel like I'm living the life I deserve," she concluded.
Riona has completed two marathons with the help of her wheelchair and can now walk short distances without assistance. "Now I only need the wheelchair to travel long distances, but my house hasn't been adapted so I try not to use it. Now I'm back in the gym and with Keith's help, I'm improving and getting stronger than ever," she said. A happy ending for a warrior of extraordinary strength!
