California non-profit sends 24-year-old injured Amesbury snowboarder to Project Walk Boston with an Empowerment Grant

Congratulations and High Five Daniel Murray!

Daniel Murray moved to Bend, Oregon after graduating to pursue adventure and snowboarding. In January 2014, he hit a jump and landed upside down, fracturing his T-10 vertebra. Murray also suffered a traumatic brain injury and severe lung contusions in the accident.

The injury left him without the use of his legs and difficulty with speech. But one area that has improved is his motor function through a program at Project Walk in Boston. Project Walk is an activity-based therapy program that interpolates electrical stimulation with specific exercises focused on individuals with spinal cord injuries.

A June 2016 grant from the High Fives Foundation will allow Murray to continue his progress there at the Boston facility.

“I am going to embrace adaptive skiing/snowboarding,” said Murray. “But while my injuries are still new, I want to give it my all to walk again.  High Fives is helping me open the door to the active life that I want to live.”

“Daniel is incredibly hard working and making the most of the motor function that is returning to him,” said Roy Tuscany, Executive Director of the High Fives Foundation. “Working with Project Walk in Boston perfectly matches his efforts with his expertise.”

In the month of June alone, the High Fives Foundation granted $18,900 to 6 High Fives Athletes.

PHOTO: Daniel Murray and his mother Annette Denietolis. Photo credit Annette Denietolis.

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | TREVOR KENNISON

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | SCOTT WILL

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | DANIEL MURRAY

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | MEGAN WEMMER

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | DAVID HEWEL

HIGH FIVES ATHLETE RECEIVES EMPOWERMENT GRANT | JASON ABRAHAM