Brownsville man who survived paralyzing shooting now helps others strengthen body and spirit
Redd, a Brownsville native, was just 17 years old when a summer evening at the park changed everything.
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A Brownsville man who survived a life-altering shooting two decades ago now is helping others like him.
Nearly 20 years after a shooting left him paralyzed, Garrison Redd is turning his pain into purpose—helping others with spinal cord injuries build strength, community and confidence through free fitness classes in Harlem, but now, that future is uncertain.
Redd, a Brownsville native, was just 17 years old when a summer evening at the park changed everything.
“A guy came up, started shooting at me, myself and six of my friends,” Redd recalled. “They told me I’d never walk again. I was devastated.”
Now Redd is a Team USA para powerlifter and climber, and the founder of a nonprofit dedicated to adaptive strength training and disability advocacy. At The Axis Project in Harlem, he leads classes three times a week designed specifically for people with limited mobility.
“It’s engaging. It’s an opportunity for them to meet someone else with a similar injury and learn from them,” Redd said.
The program has been made possible through a grant that covers costs, allowing participants to attend at no charge. But that funding is expected to run out this fall.
“It’s not only about the workout,” Redd explained. “It’s about the social aspect, too."
Chris Delacruz, a participant who became a paraplegic after a surgery. Nearly a year later, she credits Redd’s program for helping her walk again.
“I couldn’t move anything but my eyeballs for 48 hours,” she said. “Now I can walk. I can feel. I’ve been part of all of Garrison’s programs since day one.”
Redd hopes to secure new funding to keep the program running—and even expand.
“This has been an opportunity for me to help myself by helping others,” he said. “I want to show people what they’re capable of.”
News 12 asked Redd what he would tell his 17-year-old self.
“That you’re going to live an amazing life despite having to use a wheelchair.”
