Our 2025 Grant Recipients
Hudson Smidt
Hudson was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), a condition that affects his left leg. After being adopted from China at two years old, he’s already been through 12 surgeries, with another big one coming up next spring. High-impact sports aren’t safe for Hudson, so for a long time, that meant that he couldn’t join in with his friends and family.
That all changed the first time Hudson tried adaptive skiing.
Sitting in a mono-ski for the first time, Hudson found independence, an ability to keep up with his siblings, and the chance to feel just like every other kid on the mountain. The challenge? Adaptive equipment and lessons are expensive, which limits Hudson to only a couple of ski days each winter.
Thanks to your support in 2025, we were able to change that. I had the honor of calling Hudson yesterday to let him know that we were granting him his own mono-ski, giving him the chance to ski regularly with his family, build confidence, and even work toward his goal of joining an adaptive ski team. This is what Hudson’s parents had to say about what this piece of equipment means for them 👇🏻
“Our family loves to be active together in the winters: sledding, skating, and skiing! When it was discovered how bad Hudson’s hip was, it was a devastating blow. We were determined he would be a part of this with us somehow. That’s when we learned about the adaptive program. He quickly mastered the bi ski but to truly get the independence that he was longing for, the mono-ski was the answer. His dad will be trained to take him so we will no longer be tied to time constraints or waiting to see if they have a volunteer for the day; plus additional costs of equipment rentals and lessons. Now if we get that fresh snow our entire family can load up and go, together! Hudson is now being given the opportunity to build confidence and skills with his family, boldly reminding him that differences do not define us. This monoski gives our child the ability to feel the freedom we often take for granted. He has endured so much, so many surgeries, so many months of immobility. What a gift to feel the wind on his face, beaming with joy as he soars down the hills with his family, not highlighting the pain he has been through or focusing on another roadblock that says you can’t but instead celebrating the amazing person he is. This is a gift we could not give him, so thank you truly!”
Brenda Fritz
Brenda’s life changed in an instant. Just days after standing on the podium at Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin, she was struck by a semi-truck during a training ride and left with a spinal cord injury. When she woke from surgery fused from T10 to L5, Brenda was a paraplegic and faced the terrifying possibility that the sport defining her identity was gone forever.
But Brenda chose a different path. “I knew I had a choice. To live in despair or to press on. Before leaving the hospital in a power wheelchair I had already made my decision. I realized I had a unique opportunity to write an incredible story. One of hope, resilience, and determination.”
Brenda is determined to, once again, hear the words “You are an IRONMAN!”.Through our Grant Program, donor support is helping fund a racing wheelchair that will allow Brenda to return to triathlon. This chair represents the chance to once again chase the finish line she never stopped believing in.
Brenda is a wonderful representative of our organization as a whole, helping others navigate trauma and spinal cord injury, and prove what is possible after life-altering injury.
Daria Dragicevic
Daria’s athletic journey didn’t end when she was diagnosed with Genetic Dystonia Type 27, a neurological disorder affecting fewer than seven people worldwide, it evolved. Once a collegiate water polo athlete, she lost the ability to walk, but not her competitive drive.
Daria found a new passion in push-rim racing. But like many adaptive athletes, her progress has been limited by equipment that no longer fits. As a recipient of an AdaptX grant, we’ll be able to get Daria a properly fitted racing chair so she can grow in her sport.
While pursuing competitive racing, Daria is continuing her Ph.D. research focused on motor control in neurological disorders. She is both an athlete and a scientist, translating lived experience into advocacy, education, and visibility for people navigating rare and often misunderstood conditions. Through social media and community engagement, she shares her story openly, showing that disability does not end an athletic identity, it just changes how it may look.
“Currently, I can only stay in my racing chair for a limited time before the poor fit causes significant pain. With a chair that fits correctly, I will be able to train and compete in longer-distance races, something I truly look forward to. As a PhD student managing substantial medical expenses, purchasing new adaptive equipment has been out of reach. Maintenance and racing supplies are already costly, so affording a brand-new chair is impossible given my current circumstances. With the support of Adaptx, I will be able to go on long runs with friends and compete in longer races alongside my family, using a chair that truly fits me. Adaptive sports have given me a profound sense of freedom, and with this new racing chair, I will be able to push myself and run without barriers. Managing my rare disease, with its uncertainties and progressive challenges, has been incredibly tough; yet starting my day running alongside my able-bodied friends gives me a profound sense of power, confidence, and independence. Despite the challenges of my disability, pushing myself in my race chair makes me feel incredibly strong and the Adaptx grant will enable me to continue building that strength while pursuing my competitive goals in road racing."
Just as importantly, Daria is committed to paying it forward. Her existing racing chair, which is still in excellent condition, will be gifted to another athlete in need, extending the life and impact of donor support. This is the power of the adaptive sport community.
Four years ago, Jess’ life changed overnight. Once a collegiate athlete, triathlete, and marathoner, she now navigates life as a full-time wheelchair user after being diagnosed with hemi-dystonia, a progressive neurological condition that affects one side of her body. Years of hospitalizations, surgeries, and uncertainty followed. What remained constant was her identity as an athlete and her determination to stay connected to sport and community.
Through AdaptX’s Grant Program, donors helped fund a wheelchair tennis chair for Jess. With this proper equipment, she will be competing throughout 2026, teaching wheelchair pickleball at the Eugene Family YMCA, and increasing visibility for adaptive sport in her community.
This grant will not just change Jess’ athletic opportunities but her capacity to pay it forward to the next generation of adaptive athletes. She is a coach, a mentor, and an advocate who is actively expanding adaptive programming and inspiring others to see what’s possible.
Jess Cusimano
James Humphreys
James has grown up with hockey woven into the fabric of his life. Born with spina bifida, he spent his earliest years watching his family play the sport he loved from the stands, unsure how he could ever take part himself. That changed the moment he discovered sled hockey. For the first time, James wasn’t on the sidelines, he was on the ice, moving fast, competing, and fully part of a team. What began as an entry point into sport quickly became a defining force in his life, giving him freedom, confidence, and a sense of belonging that continues to drive him forward.
Over the past 13 years, sled hockey has shaped James into the athlete and person he is today. Living with spina bifida has meant navigating surgeries and medical appointments, but hockey has taught him resilience, discipline, and persistence. Looking ahead, James is committed to competing at higher levels, continuing his education, and inspiring others to believe in what’s possible when barriers are removed.
As James has grown, his equipment has struggled to keep up. His sled was worn down and no longer properly fitted for safe, competitive play. Through AdaptX’s adaptive equipment grant program, James was given a new sled, helping ensure James can continue training, competing, and leading within the sled hockey community.