SCI Superstar: Andrew Skinner

If you live in southern California, chances are you’ve heard of the Triumph Foundation, an organization that provides SCI support from giving care baskets with new injuries to adaptive sports opportunities, but do you know Andrew Skinner, the man behind the foundation?

Injured in 2004, Andrew Skinner is monumental survivor. He was able to return to an independent life post-injury, but he wanted more — he wanted to help others with spinal cord injuries. Read on for his story.

Why He’s Fearless

Before his injury, Andrew lived an active life. As a young man he loved sports and after high school, he attended California State University – Channel Islands to study business. It was here where he met his future wife Kristen. After graduating together with business degrees, they were excited about their future life./

Six months after graduating however, life had different plans. At a family gathering for Thanksgiving at Lake Arrowhead, Andrew have a freak accident while snowboarding, breaking his C4-6 vertebrae. Andrew was quickly brought to Northridge Hospital, and underwent basic physical therapy in the following months. He wanted more however, and was able to find specialized physical therapy after he went home.

After Andrew began working with a trainer, he saw recovery gains that doctors told him was previously impossible. Re-diagnosed an incomplete quadriplegic, Andrew can now walk several feet in the water. While his ultimate goal is to walk again, he’s been able to relearn nearly everything and is fully independent. In 2008, 4 years after his injury, Andrew wanted more out of his professional life as well. He wanted a career doing something that meant more than a business endeavor.

Andrew decided to found a nonprofit to help people with spinal cord injuries in southern California and called it the Triumph Foundation. He wanted to give people the information he wished someone would have given him when he was still a patient in the hospital. The mission of his foundation is to inspire people with spinal cord injuries to triumph over their disability and to push themselves to get better every day by moving forward.

One of the most helpful things the Triumph Foundation provides are their care baskets, which they deliver personally to people with new spinal cord injuries in hospitals throughout southern California. Each basket contains priceless information needed after a spinal cord injury, such as how to acquire government assistance, nonprofits that can help, how to get assistance for an adaptive van, how to get house modification assistance, and much more. They also contain fun things like sweets, snacks, gift cards, t-shirts and novelty items.

Each basket is delivered to their hospital room by Andrew or someone from the foundation. Their goal is to raise the spirits of those with injuries and to help them into the transition of their new life. They also provide exciting adaptive recreation opportunities, such as their annual adaptive sports festival each spring, as well as their popular SCI peer mentoring and SCI support groups.

What’s Next?

Andrew and Kristin got married a year before the Triumph Foundation was founded and in 2010, their daughter Betty Jayne was born. Andrew and his family love outdoor adventures in California like camping in their Sprinter Van.

And at the Abilities Expo in southern California each year, the Triumph Foundation booth is always one of the busiest on the floor. Enough cannot be said about the importance of providing a social community for people after a life changing event like a spinal cord injury, and that is exactly what the Triumph Foundation does for people with paralysis.

And that’s not all. Andrew loves to play wheelchair rugby. His foundation puts on wheelchair/quad rugby clinics to teach people the basics to those with and without disabilities, such as at Air Force bases to spread awareness of those with disabilities. The Triumph Foundation has a large team of ambassadors as well who volunteer to help demonstrate adaptive sports.

When there are countless lives that have been impacted by the work you’ve done, you know you’re on the right track. Andrew’s vision to help other with paralysis has manifested into a reality that is truly astounding and the entire SCI community cannot thank him enough.

— Visit the official site of the Triumph Foundation

— Follow the Triumph Foundation on IG