Randy's Way: A Paralyzed Man Devotes His Life to Making a Difference
- 6 years ago
It is easy to give up after failure or tragedy. Don't! Randy Bertisch is living proof that success truly happens when you fight back. Randy defied all odds by surviving a nearly fatal car crash, rebuilding his life, and developing the My Gym Challenged America Foundation. He always lives life within his motto… Never give up or lose hope because you just don't know what the future holds.
From the moment Randy saw his first television commercial, he knew he wanted to act. A multitalented dynamo, he achieved success as a performer, director and producer while still very young and was accepted into USC's acclaimed BFA program, for which 30 students were accepted nationally each year. Randy was headed for stardom with notable credits when an out-of-control dump truck struck his car and changed his goals forever. After months in a coma and an intense struggle to regain his life, Randy set out to "give back" for his miraculous recovery by establishing the My Gym Challenged America Foundation (MGCA).
MGCA, the charitable division of My Gym Children's Fitness Center, is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children facing physical and cognitive challenges by gifting life-changing medical equipment, sensory tools, and special play equipment. Since its creation in 2002, Randy's "My Gym Challenged America Foundation" has helped more than 1,000 underprivileged children nationwide. To read the stories of children who are helped by donors like you, visit ChallengedAmerica.com.
As founder and President of MGCA, Randy sits on the Board of Directors and oversees all operations including gift requests and appropriations, My Gym Scholarship awards, the Outreach Program, and national fundraising events. As a physically challenged person, himself, Randy is an amazing example of what hard work and determination, combined with appropriate therapies and equipment, can accomplish. His purpose in creating MGCA was to help underprivileged children who face adversity achieve the same success as he. His greatest satisfaction is seeing what his foundation has done for so many.
On November 28th, MGCA is participating in Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving. Last year during Giving Tuesday, MGCA raised $27,000, allowing them to greatly increase the ability to provide children with an improved quality of life in 2017.
This year, their goal is to raise $30,000 to provide gifts such as wheelchairs, feeding tubes, therapeutic equipment, rehabilitative toys as well as gym memberships for an additional 100+ children in need this holiday season. This year on Giving Tuesday (November 28 starting at 5a PST), Facebook is going to MATCH donations up to $2million dollars - $50k per nonprofit or $1k per fundraiser. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Visit The My Gym Challenged America Foundation Facebook page or ChallengedAmerica.com to make a donation.
From the moment Randy saw his first television commercial, he knew he wanted to act. A multitalented dynamo, he achieved success as a performer, director and producer while still very young and was accepted into USC's acclaimed BFA program, for which 30 students were accepted nationally each year. Randy was headed for stardom with notable credits when an out-of-control dump truck struck his car and changed his goals forever. After months in a coma and an intense struggle to regain his life, Randy set out to "give back" for his miraculous recovery by establishing the My Gym Challenged America Foundation (MGCA).
MGCA, the charitable division of My Gym Children's Fitness Center, is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children facing physical and cognitive challenges by gifting life-changing medical equipment, sensory tools, and special play equipment. Since its creation in 2002, Randy's "My Gym Challenged America Foundation" has helped more than 1,000 underprivileged children nationwide. To read the stories of children who are helped by donors like you, visit ChallengedAmerica.com.
As founder and President of MGCA, Randy sits on the Board of Directors and oversees all operations including gift requests and appropriations, My Gym Scholarship awards, the Outreach Program, and national fundraising events. As a physically challenged person, himself, Randy is an amazing example of what hard work and determination, combined with appropriate therapies and equipment, can accomplish. His purpose in creating MGCA was to help underprivileged children who face adversity achieve the same success as he. His greatest satisfaction is seeing what his foundation has done for so many.
On November 28th, MGCA is participating in Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving. Last year during Giving Tuesday, MGCA raised $27,000, allowing them to greatly increase the ability to provide children with an improved quality of life in 2017.
This year, their goal is to raise $30,000 to provide gifts such as wheelchairs, feeding tubes, therapeutic equipment, rehabilitative toys as well as gym memberships for an additional 100+ children in need this holiday season. This year on Giving Tuesday (November 28 starting at 5a PST), Facebook is going to MATCH donations up to $2million dollars - $50k per nonprofit or $1k per fundraiser. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Visit The My Gym Challenged America Foundation Facebook page or ChallengedAmerica.com to make a donation.