Doctors gave her a bleak early diagnosis, predicting that she could never be able to walk again.
Riona acknowledged that she struggled with feelings of hopelessness and despair as she dealt with the difficult transition to living in a wheelchair. A strong urge to stop living came over her.
But the tenacity of the human spirit won out, and Riona started an incredible healing process. She made a breakthrough thanks to endless hours of physical therapy and unyielding perseverance.
Her first steps on a parallel bar were an emotional victory, despite the odds and her initial paralysis.
