They made us cheer, cry, and beam with pride.
As the year draws to an end, we proudly look back at our most popular stories of success and resilience:
1. People Magazine shared the story of 18-year-old Bella Chambasis who survived a stroke and a month-long coma at age 14. Last year, Bella came to Gaylord’s Outpatient Therapy Services in Cheshire with one goal: to walk across the stage at her high school graduation. A story not to miss!
2. CT Insider highlighted the journey of Garrett Mendez, who survived a brain stem stroke at 19 and rebuilt his life with therapy at Gaylord. Now 39, Garrett brings hope to patients facing their own challenges as a rehab aide at Gaylord’s new Fairfield outpatient location.
3. A reason to celebrate! Four sled hockey players from the Gaylord Wolfpack won international gold at the first-ever Para-Hockey Women’s World Championships.
4. Severe spinal stenosis left young Alex Figueroa unable to move from the waist down. NBC 30 shared how his therapy team, including Mandy, our Canine Companions facility dog, “made miracles happen.”
6. After a stroke, Paula Gallagher rebuilt her speech - and her confidence - at Gaylord. Today, she uplifts others through volunteer Reiki and patient support, a story highlighted by WTNH.
7. Women’s Journal highlighted Ana Reyes whose journey from cancer and limb loss to author, advocate, and adaptive athlete has helped transform amputee support and inspire resilience in others.
8. The Gaylord Sports Association marked its 30th anniversary. The Hartford Courant explained why such an impact perspective of adaptive athletes Karen Smith, Tara McNeil, and Frank Selva.
9. After sustaining a traumatic brain injury in a dirt bike accident, DJ Angelillo relearned how to walk, talk, and eat. That same fighting spirit carried him into his role as 2025 Gaylord Gauntlet Featured Adaptive Athlete, where he took on the 5K obstacle run alongside the very therapists who helped him walk again.
10. After an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in her brain burst, young TikTok influencer Michaela Williams was felled by a stroke. The Hartford Courant shared her journey to recovery - and how the 23-year-old is keeping the faith.
11. Fox 61 shared how a special partnership between Amazon and Gaylord Hospital made the season brighter for patients hospitalized during the holidays.
12. Gaylord nurse and longtime volunteer EMT and firefighter June Napolitano struggled with debilitating back pain throughout much of her career. The Hartford Courant shared how Gaylord’s new Interventional Pain Center brought lasting relief without surgery or opioids.