When Magnolia (Maggie) was 6 years old, she wanted to skateboard. Neither of us were skateboarders, so imagining how to adapt a sport like that for her was complicated. I spent a good amount of time researching and found painfully few available ways to adapt skateboarding in a way that would be appropriate for her. The best we could find was a longboard, which was a bit more stable than traditional boards. So, AJ would take her to the park, and he would put her on top of it, and she would board with him running alongside to keep her safe, usually holding her hands. At the time, she was strong enough to stand on it by herself. She loved it.

Skateboarding has always been about pushing limits—whether it’s defying gravity with a kickflip or turning a 720—but it hasn’t really been breaking barriers in accessibility. There’s still not really any way for kids with complex disorders like Rett syndrome to skateboard. There's interest there, and certainly some devices exist, but nothing for a kid with limited mobility, no functional hand use, and limited body control.

Because Rett syndrome is such an impactful and complex disorder, adapting a sport like skateboarding felt almost impossible. Being able to stand with support for a length of time while balancing on a skateboard is extremely difficult. Our goal has always been to figure out ways to include Maggie in an activity, especially if it is something she is interested in. And, Maggie, now 14, still wants to skateboard.

The problem is now she’s unable to balance as well on the skateboard without postural support. So, if we’re going to skateboard, we need to find a way to do it. AJ found a gait trainer that could serve the purpose, and he affixed a skateboard to it. So instead of using it to support walking, it can support her while she stands on the board. So, you'll just need the gait trainer plus the skateboard and some extra doodads and doohickeys (technical terms), which made it possible to adapt skateboarding in a way that worked perfectly for her. It seemed like the best way to adapt while also having a fun time. Honestly, I wish we had thought of this sooner. It really was the perfect solution. And we know that now, because on this adapted adventure, we got to skateboard with the La Salle family.

Daniela and Mike La Salle have three kids, Luca, Eliana, and their youngest Gemma, age 6, who has Rett syndrome. Gemma was diagnosed with Rett syndrome as the pandemic shut the world down. The La Salle family was looking for a way to stay active, and skateboarding at the local park became a family affair. Although Gemma couldn’t skate, they would take her, and she would love to watch.

The other kids and Mike are all skateboarders, so they, too, had been longing for a way to get Gemma out on a board, but they hadn’t been able to figure it out. Then they saw what we had put together, and it was a real “aha” moment for them. And Gemma took to it like a fish. The first text we got after they tried it with Gemma was “THIS THING IS AWESOME!” with a video of Gemma skateboarding. That gave us a lot of relief, because the next day we weren’t just skateboarding with the La Salles. We were also skateboarding with Tony Hawk. 

Tony Hawk has long been a driving force behind the sport’s evolution, and his support for adaptive skateboarding is no exception. Through the Tony Hawk Foundation (now The Skatepark Project), he has helped fund accessible skateparks that include adaptive-friendly design elements, ensuring that more skaters—regardless of ability—have a place to ride. 

Plus, he was just such an incredible guy. He just jumped right in there and took both kids with Rett through the skatepark. I couldn’t believe I was watching Tony Hawk skateboard with Maggie. And I couldn’t believe how he took to teaching the other kids a little more about skateboarding too. Tony picking up Grayden and riding on his board with him and teaching Luca how to kickflip are images I’ll have a hard time forgetting.

The kids were all beside themselves to be skateboarding with Tony Hawk. But the parents were too. I’m not even sure I know what flipping an ollie is, but I’d say that’s what I did watching this whole experience unfold (metaphorically, of course. I didn’t even get on a skateboard).

The equipment used in this episode was not specifically designed for Rett individuals. Families should consider their child's abilities and proceed with caution when adapting equipment.