TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

For His Son, Father Will Ride Without Limits

JAY CONNER/staff

Elias Feliciano will ride in the "Ride Without Limits" 200-mile bicycle fundraiser benefitting United Cerebral Palsy and Achieve Tampa Bay. Hs son Elias Feliciano II is sitting on his motorized wheel chair with dad.

ADVERTISEMENT

By YVETTE C. HAMMETT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2007

Updated: 10/15/2007 09:33 pm

Additional Photos

BRANDON - Elias Feliciano Jr. sits at a small table in his family's den and flips cards with his toes, trying to match chicken with chicken, rock with rock.

'You're cheating,' accuses United Cerebral Palsy family support coordinator Chrisie Petersen, sitting across the table.

'I'm not cheating,' the precocious 6-year-old pronounced from his electric wheelchair. 'I'm winning!'

Ride Without Limits, a 200-mile bike trek through northern Hillsborough County, southern Pasco County and a portion of Pinellas County, is all about winning, too, said says Elias Feliciano Sr., who is training five days a week to ride in the event. The ride's goal is to raise money for and awareness about United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay, which provides education and support to people with disabilities and their families.

Feliciano said his son is winning the battle against his muscle disorder with the organization's help, including therapy, schooling and other support.

He has secured more than $1,300 of the $3,000 in pledges he hopes to raise before the ride.

Just as tough as the fundraising, he said, is the training leading up to the event, planned for Nov. 17 and 18.

'I'm in the gym every morning at 5:30. Most of my training's been done in the gym, because of the scary traffic,' he said, explaining that the nearest major road to his subdivision is busy Kings Avenue. 'I'm trying to build my stamina, my cardio.'

When he rides, he will post a photograph of his son on the handlebars to keep him focused on his goals.

'I'm going the 200 miles,' he said, even if he has to walk to the finish line.

Before their son was born, Heidi and Elias Feliciano had no clue he had a rare muscular disorder known as arthrogryposis. There was no warning until little Elias went through the birth canal and ended up with a severely broken leg, his arms contracted and both legs curled up against his torso.

Two weeks later, he entered the Shriners Hospital for Children, Tampa Unit, the first of many visits - including two for surgeries to help extend his curled-up legs.

Today, after much help and therapy from United Cerebral Palsy's Achieve Tampa Bay Center, Elias Jr. plays video games and cards and even writes with his feet, his mother said.

He attends kindergarten at Symmes Elementary School in Riverview, spending half of each day in a mainstream classroom and half a day in a class for disabled students.

'It's going great, really, really good,' his mom said. 'He can't walk and he's limited in using his hands,' but he's a little dynamo with his feet and is becoming more and more independent, she said.

Elias Jr. made his first visit to United Cerebral Palsy at 2 weeks old, about the same time of his first visit to Shriners Hospital. He has since attended preschool there and continues to receive therapy there.

Seventy percent of the proceeds from Ride Without Limits will go to support the local United Cerebral Palsy program, said Patricia Hansen, associate executive director of program development. Another 20 percent will go to the national program, and 10 percent will go to research, she said.

Similar rides took place in September in California and this month in North Carolina.

So far, about 100 riders have signed up for the Tampa area event. In addition to recruiting parents such as Elias Sr., the agency also is targeting bicycle enthusiasts to join in the event, which has an $80 entrance fee and a minimum of $500 in pledges.

'We have a young man with cerebral palsy who is riding, and a man whose daughter has CP is coming down from Washington, D.C., to participate,' Hansen said.

A map of the route hasn't yet been released. 'We're trying to make it challenging,' Hansen said, but not so challenging that it deters participants.

For information on how to contribute or enter to ride, go to www.ridewithoutlimits.org or call 1-888-547-3239.

ABOUT UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY

•United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay serves children and adults with any type of disability at Achieve Tampa Bay, 2215 E. Henry Ave., Tampa. Its mission is to 'guide and assist families and individuals with any disability or other barriers to achieve their full potential, resulting in community inclusion and independence.'

•The Achieve center also offers SibShops, a family support program that provides guidance to young people whose siblings have a disability.

•The agency's child services are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and are based on an early-intervention model.

•The center is 'inclusive,' providing a supportive learning environment for children with disabilities and those who don't have disabilities. The children's services are designed for children from birth to 6 years old.

•For information, call Achieve Tampa Bay at (813) 239-1179.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT