Superheroes Among Us

“Being brave isn’t the absence of fear. Being brave is having that fear but finding a way through it.”
—Bear Grylls

We witness bravery in our participants every day. When you live life with a disability, you have two choices, to be defined by that disability or to define yourself by your ability. Victoria Szarka, a Thrive participant, has chosen the latter. This summer, she showed her amazing and inspiring self by facing her fears head-on. She demonstrated to us all what true bravery is and that by believing in yourself, anything is possible.

To know Victoria is to know that she loves superheroes. Every day she aspires to model herself after superhero traits like strength, self-confidence, and determination. One Friday afternoon this summer, at Boundless Adventures in Berlin, she became the real superhero that she has always aspired to be. On that day, she faced her fears head-on. She climbed the ladder to the zipline and ropes course and let her body fly through the sky. At that moment, she didn’t lose her fear but realized that being brave enough to face those fears will help her face other difficult times with confidence.

“I was so nervous about going to Boundless Adventures. Everyone there was so supportive of me and helped me succeed; my friends, the Thrive staff, and the workers. I now have more self-confidence to try new experiences. I know that even though it makes me nervous, I can still do it,” Victoria shared. Ziplining was just the tip of the iceberg for Victoria. She’s now involved with Thrive’s martial arts program and is excited to face new opportunities with the bravery of a true superhero.