Samantha Slusak was one our first clients at NextStep Orlando. She actually showed up on the Friday the week before we opened, she was so eager to see what it was all about.

NextStep Orlando quickly became a home way from home for Samantha. She was just 16 years old and already a Level 10 gymnast when she was injured during her training so she was used to working hard and she really loved that NextStep’s recovery program challenged her!

The staff and other clients at NextStep Orlando also became like an extended family to Samantha. She always felt encouraged in her pursuit to get better and overcome her spinal cord injury. Her likability, toughness, resilience, work ethic and her beautiful smile drew people to her! They were immediately inspired by her story and her spirit.

Samantha never stopped believing that she would one day walk again and worked hard towards this goal until her untimely passing in 2013. Because she took such great joy in seeing her friends at NextStep Orlando succeed, The Slusak Family established a scholarship fund in her memory. The Samantha Slusak Scholarship is to provide individuals who have the motivation, optimism and drive to continue their recovery an opportunity to attend NextStep Orlando based on financial need.

To date The Samantha Slusak Scholarship has provided almost 100 clients with over 1200 hours of activity based therapy. That’s over $120,000 in scholarships! If there was one message Samantha wanted to leave behind to all of us, it is to Don’t Stop Believing!

With your help, Samantha will continue to change lives for the better. Please help us achieve her never ending drive to help others reach their goals! How? :

Join us Sunday, February 9th 1-4pm at Teak Neighborhood Grill in Maitland for the Samantha Slusak Scholarship Fundraiser or make a donation directly to the scholarship fund.