In elementary school, she started going to a summer camp through Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The camp was designed for children with spina bifida, like Christina, and she fell in love with the thrill of adaptive sports. She began playing on youth teams through BlazeSports, and basketball quickly became her favorite. Eventually, she met teammates who told her about another playing opportunity — one made possible through Shepherd Center’s Alias Family Sports Teams. 

Shepherd Center’s sports teams, open to former Shepherd Center patients and to community members, provide opportunities to compete and travel while serving as a support system for athletes with disabilities. 

For Christina, Shepherd’s sports teams represented something else — a chance to grow and learn more about her potential, on and off the court. In high school, she started playing softball, swimming, and road bicycle racing, with the Shepherd Sluggers, Shepherd Sharks, and Shepherd Spinners, respectively. But she found her home on the basketball court with the Shepherd Stealers.

“Blaze Juniors was somewhat competitive, and being an athlete, going to that next level with Shepherd’s teams is what helped me get better at my sport,” Christina says. “It also got me out of my comfort zone, playing with people from different ages and backgrounds. I became less shy and made so many important friendships.

“Honestly, Shepherd made me who I am today. Not just playing but just life lessons. How to be fully independent. I traveled on the team without my family, so I learned how to navigate the road and be responsible for myself. That was invaluable for me.”

Christina had hoped playing with Shepherd Center would help her grow. What she hadn’t expected was that it would also chart a path forward for her, both academically and competitively. A path that would take her to the University of Illinois, home to one of the oldest and most illustrious adaptive basketball programs. 

“Going to college and playing college ball would not have happened without playing at Shepherd,” Christina says. “For one thing, I was seen by college coaches at our tournaments. And I definitely wouldn’t have been prepared for the level of competition in college if I hadn’t played with Shepherd Center.”

Fast forward more than a decade and Christina is back in the metro Atlanta area. Now 32, she’d gone a while without playing after graduating from Illinois — work and adulting will do that. But two years ago, she reconnected with Shepherd Center sports, sparking her love for the game once again. Today, she’s a veteran sparkplug on the Shepherd Stealers. She’s also mentoring her younger teammates and coaching junior teams in the local BlazeSports leagues.

“I absolutely love coaching,” Christina says. “Being able to give back with the younger generation brings such joy to me. Seeing their smiles and loving the sport as much as I do. That’s probably my favorite thing. ”

Just don’t assume that it’s only Coach Christina now. Christina the player is as competitive as ever. And she’s dreamed up a new dream to pursue: Get an invitation to try out for the Team USA Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team in advance of the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. 

“I’m kicking it into gear for that now with training, diet, workouts, all of it,” Christina says. “Why not give it a try, right? That’s what I’ve learned from this journey. Put yourself out there and try!"

Written by Phillip Jordan

To understand how far Jonathan Horna has come since his life-altering car accident in 2021, you need to know that horrific crash is now only the second-most impactful hit of his life. The first? That came about a year and a half later, when Jonathan rolled onto the wheelchair rugby court at Shepherd Center for his first taste of a high-contact sport famously nicknamed murderball. 

“Oh, man, when we started running that first play, I immediately got slammed into — you know, ‘teach the rookie how it is,’” Jonathan says with a laugh. “My first thought was ‘wow, what just happened?’ But it was exhilarating. I didn’t expect to ever get back into truly competitive sports again, so that was a huge moment. It changed so much for me in terms of my confidence and who I could be once again.” 

Jonathan, now 25, was a pre-med student and a member of Georgia State University’s soccer team back in 2021. On Feb.17 of that year, another vehicle collided into Jonathan’s car. The accident resulted in a litany of injuries for the student, including an L1 spinal cord injury. After surgeries at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital — including the amputation of his left leg at the knee — Jonathan arrived at Shepherd Center in March of 2021. 

The physical challenges were intense, Jonathan explains. But they were nothing compared to the mental and emotional hurdles he faced. 

“I was used to being the helper,” Jonathan says. “When my parents needed something, I did it well, and fast. When I could help at church, I did that. That’s who I liked to be — for them, for myself, for everyone around me. 

“Suddenly being put in this completely different situation, it was a little bit humiliating. What I had to learn was taking that humiliation and turning it into humility instead. To understand that I wasn’t on my own. And to understand that there are times when you have to let others be there for you.” 

Jonathan says he couldn’t have flipped that switch mentally without the support of his family, his home church at Holy Cross Catholic Church, in Tucker, Georgia, and especially his Shepherd Center care team. 

“From the nurses to the therapists and chaplains, they all helped a lot with the mental side of things,” Jonathan says. “They got me going, got me active, helped change my mindset.” 

Most importantly, he says, “They were super open to someone who was very closed off.” 

Slowly, Jonathan started to open up once again — talking, sharing, being vulnerable. The peer support of his fellow patients was a big part of that progress, too. 

“Just being around other young people going through similar things,” he says. “I remember at the beginning, there was no way to hide and mope. The other patients would just come and say, ‘Hey, new kid, what are you in here for?’  When I look back, I realize it was a beautiful experience, a stepping stone to where I am now. That time in my life is an essential part of who I am now and what I plan to keep pursuing.” 

And, yes, those pursuits now include playing for the Shepherd Smash, Shepherd Center’s quad rugby team. 

“It’s funny because I wasn’t very good with my hands before, which is why I did soccer!” Jonathan says. “So, especially with limited functionality post-injury, I can’t believe I said ‘yes’ to even trying it. But it spoke to me. It’s an amazing sport, an amazing team here at Shepherd Center, and amazing resources all around you. Quad rugby is something I couldn’t live without now.” 

Jonathan is also moving forward in other areas of life. He’s volunteering at his church, teaching youth catechism. He’s also got a new vision for his career, having just earned an associate’s degree in accounting and now heading back to Georgia State for his bachelor’s. He’s ready for GSU’s vast downtown campus, too. With the aid of a new “smart prosthetic” and continued physical therapy, he’s progressed to walking only with the aid of a hand crutch. 

“I have so much to thank Shepherd for everything they’ve done,” Jonathan says. “To be honest, realizing that a place like Shepherd Center even existed in my time of need was bizarre. I couldn’t believe there was a place like that, with all those resources and experts, it really was unbelievable at first. It’s so heartwarming to be able to let go and know you’re not alone. That you’re surrounded by people who are there for you.” 

Written by Phillip Jordan

Since that inspirational lunch, the entire Alias family has supported Shepherd not only financially, but also by serving on boards, advisory panels, and steering committees, as well as volunteering their time for fundraising events. In 2006, Fred established the “Best Employee Attitude Award,” with substantial cash prizes given to the most outstanding Shepherd staff members each year. In 2015, Fred and his two sons, Shaler and Andrew, made substantial contributions toward the renovation of the hospital’s chapel.

The family’s dedication is most obvious, though, in the Alias Family Sports Teams program, which enables people with physical disabilities in metro Atlanta to compete locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. More than 20 athletes from Shepherd teams have represented the U.S. in the Paralympic Games, and several have won medals. Currently, more than 100 athletes—ranging in age from 15 to 71—play on Shepherd’s 10 teams: the Stealers (basketball), the Strikers (power soccer), the Spinners (track), the Smash (quad rugby), the Sharks (swimming), the Sluggers (softball), the Skiers (waterskiing), the Swords (fencing), the Cyclers (hand-cycling), and the Servers (tennis). 

Matt Edens, CTRS, has been coordinator of the sports teams since 2005. “Because of the Alias family, we’re able to buy new equipment and travel more than we’ve ever done,” Matt says. “We’re able to provide these athletes with competitiveness, health, and wellness. But it’s not just about the sports. Our patients can come down to the gym every night to watch teams practice. They get to see there is life after injury. Several of our athletes were injured decades ago, and they’re able to say, ‘I’ve been in your shoes.’ A lot of times, that is an ‘aha’ moment for patients who have just begun recovery.” 

Expanding the scope and quality of the sports team program has become part of the Alias family legacy. After 30 years, Fred still gets emotional when he talks about Shepherd Center. “I have never walked in that building and left when I wasn’t more up than when I went in,” he says. “It’s just the greatest thing I’ve ever been involved in.” Now, his oldest son, Shaler, serves on Shepherd’s Board of Directors, and Andrew is chairman of the Board of Trustees. 

“Growing up, I watched from afar as my dad served alongside the Shepherd family and other amazing board members to grow this place from an idea to a world-class facility,” Shaler says. “Then, after college, I had two close friends who were patients at Shepherd after complete spinal cord injuries. I watched as their lives were turned upside down by traumatic injuries, and then I witnessed firsthand as Shepherd slowly put the pieces back together and taught them that they could not only live a normal life, but an exceptional one.” 

As Shaler and Andrew established their own careers—creating a financial payment-processing firm called Repay in 2006—they began deepening their long-term involvement in Shepherd’s mission. “We are a giving family,” Andrew says. “We grew up being taught to give. But the people at Shepherd fostered my relationship with them by playing the long game.” As avid outdoorsmen, both Alias brothers connected personally with the direct impact their support could have on athletes. “I loved James Shepherd’s saying that Shepherd Center is the bridge between ‘I can’t’ and ‘I can,’” Shaler says. “One of the most powerful ways that I have seen patients come to fully embrace the ‘I can’ attitude is through the sports teams.“

Overcoming adversity takes a tremendous effort from the patients,” Shaler adds. “Supporting those patients takes a tremendous effort from the physicians, nurses, therapists, researchers, and staff at Shepherd Center. And supporting those staff members takes a tremendous effort from the community. Our family is committed to being a part of our community and supporting Shepherd Center for as long as it takes.”

Written by Teresa Weaver

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. 

One month before Noah’s 18th birthday, he was out with his friends at a trampoline park, enjoying a day of fun and recreation. In an attempt to do a double front flip, Noah landed on his head, sustaining a high-level spinal cord injury. He was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where he received treatment and was referred to Shepherd Center.  

Noah spent two months as an inpatient at Shepherd Center’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, grinding hard to regain his strength. Once he went home, he didn't stop there. Noah returned for the Day Program, pushing himself to new limits. That’s when he heard about the Shepherd Smash rugby team, one of the 11 adaptive sports teams of Shepherd Center’s Fred, Shaler, and Andrew Alias Sports Teams Program. Being part of the Smash pushed his rehabilitation to a new level.

“About a year after my injury, I was asked to come try out adaptive rugby,” says Noah. “For someone newly in a chair, it was good to have people in chairs around you who have been doing this for a while. Not just to learn from them, but to have people who know exactly what you’re dealing with. There, they do.”

Being part of that team gave him a sense of camaraderie and a chance to unleash his competitive side again, but that was just the beginning. Noah found other adrenaline-pumping activities like waterskiing after participating in Shepherd Center’s Adventure Skills Workshop (ASW), a weekend camp designed for people with life-changing injuries or illnesses to practice hands-on adventure skills. There, he met Bill Furbish, an 11-time national champion in adaptive waterskiing and the adaptive waterski coach.

 “He saw that I had an interest and took me under his wing, and he hasn’t let go since.”

On top of picking up two new sports, Noah could not stay away from his true love: mountain biking.

“Now that I was in this new life, I felt like the only way to truly get back to being myself was through mountain biking,” explains Noah. “It was the longest sport to get back to because I didn’t have the means to get a mountain bike. So, the community came together to help me raise funds and get back to mountain biking. I feel like I’m myself again.”

Noah’s mission is to raise awareness for adaptive mountain biking in the Southeast so he can help others regain their independence as well.

Adaptive sports have been a game-changer for Noah – both physically and mentally. Being surrounded by people who understand what he's been through and having the chance to compete again have been essential in building his confidence.

“Of all the paths you can take to rehabilitation, I think sports is the number one,” he says. “If you can, I definitely recommend giving it a try.” 

Written by Lindsey Rieben

Pursuing Possible with Shepherd Center

To support patient stories like this, please consider contributing to Shepherd Center's Pursuing Possible campaign. Click here to learn more.

This year, Tatyana McFadden, 27, of Clarksville, Maryland, won the women’s open division with a first-place finishing time of 23:15.51. She also won the race in 2010-2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In the men’s open, Daniel Romanchuk, 18, of Urbana, Illinois, took the crown to win with a finishing time of 20:02.76. It was his first win.

The 6.2-mile competition began on Lenox Road in the heart of Buckhead, Atlanta’s shopping district, and followed Peachtree Road for six miles before slicing through the heart of Midtown to the finish line at 10^th Street and Piedmont Park. The race is the one of the largest and fastest wheelchair 10Ks in the country.

The top finishers in each division received peach-shaped crystalline trophies in a ceremony at Shepherd Center following the race. Then, racers attended a post-race brunch and its Junior Committee, which helps organize the race, doled out cash prizes. Numerous Shepherd Center volunteers and staff members coordinated race logistics, including reviewing applications, orchestrating the start and finish, monitoring the times and overseeing the needs of the athletes.

The Atlanta Track Club was the platinum sponsor of the event, and MARTA was the silver sponsor. Other donors included Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel, the Kyle Pease Foundation and Global Flowers. Sponsors provided pre-and post-race brunches, defrayed travel and lodging expenses for racers and awarded cash prizes to winners.

A complete list of Wheelchair Division winners and more race information is availabe as a PDF download above. Additional race results are available at atlantatrackclub.org.

Photos by Kevin Liles