Ryan’s Reach 2023
2024 End of year newsletter
2024 In Review
I know I can’t be the only one that thinks this but didn’t 2024 zoom by? It seems like we just put out an end-of-year newsletter and here we are wrapping up another year. It’s been so full and rewarding and it’s hard to know where to start to tell you about it. So I’ll just dive in.
Houses to Homes
With both of the homes being full of residents and running smoothly, we were able to focus on activities and fun for our residents. One of our dreams for Ryan’s Reach is for the homes to feel like a second family. This year we really focused on bringing more interaction and community to our residents. We did our annual Labor Day block party where you could find live entertainment with singer Felson Palad, line dancing lessons from Lindy, and burgers and hot dogs for the whole block. We love the holidays, and you can always expect décor and celebration.
Having a brain injury can often lead to self-isolation. We make it a point to have outings for the residents. This isn’t always an easy task with all the different personalities and triggers that come with a brain injury, but we make it happen. This year we did sailing, paddleboarding, car shows, kayaking, zoo visits, time at the pool, and so much more. We hope to build in this area of outings and fun.
Life, fun, and community doesn’t have to stop after a traumatic brain injury.
Meet Jaclyn Kuluris
Before we go into more detail about all the outings and growth experiences for our Ryan’s Reach residents, let me introduce you to the reason we were able to really add to the quality of living for our young men and women this year. Meet Jax!
Jaclyn Kuluris, or “Jax”, first came on board to Ryan’s team of therapists in his own home. She came highly recommended and after hearing some glowing remarks about her working with other TBI survivors we had to see if she could spend time with Ryan. She’s amazing in her ability to work with Ryan. She sees his potential and gets him up taking steps forward while she holds and steadies him walking backward herself. Her own strength and ability to do this safely is unique and he’s done this now for years out on the street in front of his home since it’s a quiet street. She is creative always taking a holistic view of what’s happening in his body.
Ryan’s behavior can be, shall we say “feisty” at times, and not only is Jax able to handle it but she does it with giggles and acceptance since she’s been around brain injury all her life. Why? Well, I didn’t know it when we hired her but her dad Bruce is a physical therapist and has worked for Care Meridian and NeuroRestorative for a few decades, two amazing facilities that takes care of TBI survivors when they are at sub-acute level and slightly higher. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! Ryan ended up being able to go to Care Meridian after months in hospitals and his physical therapist there was Bruce, Jax’s dad! What? We didn’t know that when we hired her. Over 15 years had passed and we had lost touch with Bruce but when I found out that Jax’s dad was Bruce Kuluris I was over the moon. We loved her dad and that told me so much more about Jax and her heart for the TBI community.
Well last year, we invited Jax to come on board to work for Ryan’s Reach and bring her positive energy and joy to our group homes. Her ability to get to know the residents intimately has led to not just setting up great outings outside the homes and connecting the community to bring activities into the homes, but she also looks at each resident through fresh eyes and can make recommendations and follow through on improvements like getting Rebecca a new wheelchair, figuring out how it can be paid for, obtaining a Rifton Gait Trainer for Regan so she’ll be able to weight bear and walk around the Tustin cul-de-sac anytime she’s home wanting to move around!
Jax has her own business, “Highest Potential Personal Training Gym” and she has taken Otto and Nathan under her wing to work them out in her real gym getting them more in shape. Did you know that moving your body is directly connected to improved brain function? This year she was able to even give Nathan a small job with a checklist he can follow to do some cleaning in the gym. This gives Nathan a certain self-esteem and ability to use his brain to be organized and finish tasks. He loves it.
I could go on and on about this young woman and what she brings to Ryan’s Reach as a whole but I love sharing photos with you. So I’ll stop writing and start showing you how Jax Kuluris has been a huge blessing to our residents.
Welcome Regan
We are so delighted that this year our Tustin home got a new resident, REGAN! Ryan’s Reach has been able to provide Regan with respite care in the past and she fit right in with the crew. So when we got the request for her to move in as a full-time resident we couldn’t have been more thrilled. Regan’s traumatic brain injury has affected her ability to speak, so she communicates with an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. However, she also is quite the sign language speller when it comes to words and short phrases. It can be frustrating for all parties when there is a communication breakdown, but our caregivers quickly became experts in being sign language interpreters and a voice for Regan.
Regan loves to move and be active. Unfortunately her traumatic brain injury has caused her to have decreased control with her legs and core, leading to the majority of her transportation being in a wheelchair. But this doesn’t stop her. She attends High Hopes with the other Ryan’s Reach residents where she can often be found zooming around the facility in a walker. She never wants to stop walking or shall I say running with a huge grin on her face. If you attend High Hopes you know the grin.
Our Tustin home residents really enjoy getting outside and going on walks - whether they are in a wheelchair or on their two feet. Ryan’s Reach is currently working closely with a medical equipment company in hopes to get Regan her own walker so her daily walks at Ryan’s Reach can be on her feet instead of her wheels with that big contagious smile.
Welcome to the family Regan you sure bring us laughter and joy. Never stop smiling!
Growing Together…The Gift of Greens
Our Santa Ana home needed a little facelift in the backyard, and we took this opportunity to grow some herbs and vegetables this year. Even better was it all happened because of high school volunteers. Traumatic Brain Injury is often an unseen population that many have never heard of until it affects someone directly in their life; so, when we get a chance to get volunteers around our residents and the homes, we feel like we are not only receiving help but also opening up the eyes and hearts of others to get a small glimpse of what Ryan’s Reach is. Our idea behind the garden was to grow food for the home and we were rewarded with an overflow of zucchinis, tomatoes, basil, peppers, and so much more.
Weather you have a green thumb or not we would love your help in nourishing our residents through digging in and planting seeds. We are constantly thinking of ways to get our residents healthier and there is something about growing your own vegetable that just makes it a little more appealing.
The “Big dill” Pickleball Bash
Pickleball is all the hype these days, so our founder Lindy Michaelis decided to jump in on the idea of a FUN-draiser with the first ever ‘Big Dill Pickleball Bash’. The event was a held at the brand-new Coto De Caza Pickleball Club boasting 12 brand new courts. The Big Dill was hosted by self-proclaimed ‘South Orange County’s Pickleball Ambassador and longtime friend of Ryan’s Reach, Chip McCallister. If you play in Orange County you either know him or quickly will. We had quite the turn out with lunch, drinks, medals, swag bags, and competition of course. We had 90 competitors and with many sponsors we raised approximately $20,000. One of our favorite moments was Debby Boone (Ryan’s Aunt) singing the classic “You Light up my Life” with Ryan- the reason Ryan’s Reach exists. Although Ryan’s traumatic brain injury has affected his memory not remembering what he did 30 seconds ago he still remembers lyrics to many songs including “You Light Up my Life”. It’s a blessing when a fundraiser revolves around a fun activity or event, but this moment really brought it back to what the cause was all about. Many of the people we have helped shouldn’t have survived an accident or injury, but they are still here lighting up the lives of others. Ryan’s Reach continues to support traumatic brain injury survivors with funding for therapy, care needs, housing for our residents, and respite care for loved ones needing a break. A catastrophic event like a traumatic brain injury is not the end but it does require a village and we are so blessed to be a part of so many individual’s village.
Harmony of Hope: How these ladies use the power of music and words
Cristabelle Braden is a singer, song writer, and a podcast host who is thriving and pushing past all the hurdles of a traumatic brain injury. Cristabelle’s theme found across all of her songs and podcasts is HOPE and life after a brain injury. It ties into exactly what Ryan’s Reach is chasing for our residents. So when Lindy Michaelis and Cristabelle connected it was an instant lightbulb moment for Lindy that more people needed to hear her voice. In an effort to spread hope Lindy was able to offer the community a free concert here in Orange County. The audience was full of our residents, survivors, and advocates.
We are so thrilled we were able to make this happen. Music can be so therapeutic and powerful both Cristabelle and Lindy Michaelis share this belief deeply. In fact our very own founder Lindy entered the song writing world this year as well that all started by…
…A Mother’s Day Gift that Keeps on Giving. A few words from Lindy:
“On Mother's Day 2020 I received a gift from my daughter Jessi, the chance to write a song with a Nashville musician. Jessi bought this experience for me during Covid and she paid for the zoom song writing session which left me wondering what in the world would I be able to bring to this appointment? My collaborator was Anne Buckle who makes her living in the music industry and to my surprise she loved the lyrics I offered, and she wrote a beautiful melody. Wordlayer is a song about choosing our words carefully, skillfully to co-create with our creator the world we envision and new life that we desire especially when that life has been turned inside out and upside down. The message of Wordlayer resonated with so many people as I played the simple recording of Anne Buckle singing it with just her guitar. Last year my father and his record company manager decided the song should be recorded in a studio with me singing it and my sisters harmonizing on it. The result was that we were able to release Wordlayer in March 2024, Brain Injury Awareness Month, and I was asked to do months’ worth of podcasts and interviews that took the story of Ryan’s brain injury journey and Ryan’s Reach around the country and beyond. To date, there have been 74,000 streams and 21,000 views on YouTube.
I’m so grateful to my daughter for giving me this gift and so thankful that my father believed in the song and produced it in Nashville with the excellence of professionals. My hope is that it is a message that inspires, comforts and soothes not just the brain injury community of which I am a part but all who have woken up to a crisis and a loss that feels unsurmountable. Life returns and although it may be a different life, how we speak about the future along our hope and acceptance can impact our new normal. I hope you will look up Wordlayer on YouTube and watch the special video that accompanies this meaningful song. And here’s a teaser; next year Cristabelle Braden and I will go back to Nashville to record another song specifically written for Ryan’s Reach that I began writing in 2022 and Cristabelle helped me finish last July. I look forward to releasing this new song in March, Brain Injury Awareness Month 2025!”
Short film Highlight: The Nathan Film
Andy, father of our resident Nate developed a short film about him. The film does a beautiful depiction of coming to grips with the new normal of living life after a Traumatic Brain Injury. We believe that short films and stories are often times more powerful than explaining what a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor’s life entails for them and their loved ones.
Open your eyes to one of our resident’s lives by watching this short, thoughtful film.
TBI Talk
As the year is winding down we are one episode away of completing Season 1 of TBI Talk. If you have a traumatic brain injury loved one in your life I hope you’ll type in TBI Talk with Lindy Boone Michaelis and take a listen. Our goal is to come along side survivors and family members to let you know you’re not alone and offer personal stories, encouragement and information that may help along your journey. Some of the conversations are nothing less than inspirational.
Note from the President of the Board
I am proud to share what the year 2024 has been like for Ryan’s Reach. We should mention that Ryan’s Reach continues to support High Hopes Head Injury with scholarships as we always have since we began. Our two group homes are ongoing and fulfilling the dream of Ryan’s Reach as our group home administrators, Elaine and Bertha, refine our systems and procedures. With Jax Kuluris on board with us now we are finding more ways to fill the days for our residents with activities that feed their minds, bodies and souls, utilizing her keen eye and ability to connect a need with what answers that need.
As proud as we are of what we’ve accomplished we always are asking ourselves “How can we do more? How do we expand our REACH?" Recent discussions regarding Ryan’s Reach in 2025 have helped us decide that we can and should offer to support other TBI non-profits in our area as well as continue our support of High Hopes Head Injury Program As we find ways to partner, give and serve in these organizations we create new spaces for our Ryan’s Reach residents and lots of other TBI survivors to be “connected” which is what makes life fulfilling.
Although we started our podcast this past year we have plans in 2025 to up our game and make improvements and add some polish, partnering with another TBI non-profit in that sphere which will certainly expand our reach to the national TBI community. We always hold the vision of another TBI group home in the future and pray that this year could be when the path becomes clear and we take steps in that direction.
All of this is Ryan Corbin’s legacy and my motivation to sit as President of the Board of Ryan’s Reach. We’ve accomplished a lot but I am always aware of the great need and believe we can do more. I am humbled and so grateful as I write this, days before Thanksgiving , and I am immensely thankful to anyone who has read this newsletter, cared for our TBI survivors and our mission and cared for Ryan and my family. No one person can get these things done so thank you for your care and support from the bottom of my heart and we promise to work hard to make you all proud of Ryan’s Reach.
~ Lindy Michaelis
How You Can Help Us
Donate online at ryansreach.com/donate
Donate by mail to:
RYAN’S REACH
13 AUGUSTA
COTO DE CAZA, CA 92679
Download the donation form here
3. Donate by shopping Ryan’s Reach Wish List on Amazon
Want to donate something you know we can truly use? Ryan’s Reach has an Amazon Wish List with current necessities. There are many to choose from with prices to fit any budget. Click here to see the list!
Ryan’s Reach taxpayer ID number is 20-0006437
