Shykhym Allen – A Journey to Reclaim Independence

My name is Shykhym Allen, and I’m on a walk to recover and rediscover my life. In 2019, a single moment changed everything. What began as a normal day with friends turned into tragedy when a basketball game escalated into an argument. I chose to walk away—but before I could reach my car, gunshots rang out. I was struck, and in that instant, my world shifted forever.

The bullet left me with a traumatic spinal cord injury and a diagnosis of tetraplegia. Doctors told me I would never move again from the neck down. At just 19 years old, I lost not only my mobility, but the future I had worked so hard to build. Before the injury, I was an athlete and dancer—captain of both my football and basketball teams. I dreamed of going pro. Those dreams were shattered in a second.

The road since has been long and painful. I’ve lost family, watched friends move on, and faced a reality that’s hard to accept. But I refuse to be defined by my injury. Through determination, multiple nerve and tendon transplant surgeries, and relentless effort, I’ve regained some mobility and continue to push myself every single day.

Recently, I lost access to the rehabilitation services that have been crucial to my progress due to insurance limitations. That’s why the Back to Independence program means so much to me. It would provide the specialized rehab and peer support I need—and ease the burden on my grandmother, who selflessly relocated in 2020 to ensure I received better medical care. Her unwavering support has been my foundation.

Today, I channel the same discipline and leadership I once used on the field into rebuilding my life. I’m not just surviving—I’m striving to thrive. With support from The Walk for Life Campaign, I’m taking bold steps toward independence, resilience, and a future defined not by what I lost, but by what I will become.