Support Ms. McLain's Journey to Independence

Ms. McLain, as thousands of us know her, needs our help right now. Our goal is 70k if not more to help Ms. McLain get her mobility back. She has been told that her body can not handle the daily wear and tear it is getting from transforming her into her car. She needs a van with a ramp so she does not lose her ability to transfer in her other daily task. She also needs a motorized wheelchair. Being a teacher, insurance still will have her pay for the wheelchair, and the van is nowhere in the budget. Please donate to someone who is so caring, loving, and hardworking. She shows up for her students everyday, let's show up for her.

A little bit of Sara’s back story; Sara was hurt at the age of 2 ½ from a tractor accident on her parents farm in Burr Oak, Iowa. The accident left Sara a paraplegic with the loss of ability of her legs. No matter the struggle they felt would exist, her parents never said no to what Sara asked to try next. Sara was riding around a Big Wheel, skateboarding, hand controlled bicycle; the endless possibilities she had in front of her. Sara wanted to do all the things she saw her sisters doing. Her parents motto has always been, “Sara, you are not handicapped, you are handicapable”. When the family moved to Spring, Texas, she even joined the Greengate swim team and competed against able bodied swimmers. As the years moved on, Sara joined the Houston Challengers where she competed in basketball, track and field and swimming where she later qualified for the Paralympics in Spain in swimming, where she broke the National record , however did not attend due to only being an alternate to the team. Sara did attend the Junior National Olympics in Australia where she took home 13 gold medals as she was the only US American that attended the event.

Sara went on to college in Austin, Texas attending St. Edward’s University and then went down to Florida attending St. Thomas University, where she also worked for the Florida Marlins. What an emotional send off they gave her when she left and moved back to Spring, Texas to become a math teacher at her own high school where she attended, Spring High School. Sara has lived alone most of her life just trying to be as normal and independent as anyone wants to be in their adult lives.

Just as Sara strives to be the best she can in everything she does with no limitations, this is true for her teaching career as well. Sara is the Math Department Chair at Spring High School and has mentored and inspired thousands, and that number is not exaggerated. Any student who has had her will let you know she is the best math teacher they have ever had. She really gets to know her students and makes learning engaging and interactive for them. For teachers, her 23 years of experiences as Spring has brought so much wisdom and mentorship. She was also the teacher of the year and finalist for Spring ISD in 2016 and if it was legal we would make her teacher of the year every year.

Sara had never wanted help as she was always capable of doing it alone. The struggles she has always endured just trying to get new wheelchairs as insurance doesn’t cover 100% even when it is her only means of mobility. 20 years ago, Sara had gotten really sick and the paralysis move up even higher and is now considered a quadriplegic. As we get older, we all know the struggles that getting older does to the body, being a handicapped can be double or more the struggle than what we feel. This past school year Sara has missed just about the entire school year getting really sick again. She has been in and out of the hospital for the past 8 months. After a recent visit from her sister, the old Sara is hurting, the struggle of just getting dressed, getting out of bed and now getting in and out of her car. Sara has almost become a prisoner in her own body and home. Sara continues to do her exercises to keep the strength in her arms and shoulders so she can push past some of these recent struggles, however the realization is, she does need to make some significant changes. In order to get her independence back, Sara is at the point in her life where she needs a motorized wheelchair and a van with a wheelchair lift. Once she is able to get these things, the ability to take the stress off of her body, she can start to heal her mind and feel better in her heart that she is back to being capable of doing the things she wants to do on a daily basis and getting back to doing what she loves best, teaching. Sara is capable of doing anything she wants to, just needs a little financial help now to have the ability to be herself again.

Sara’s strength, creativity, and motivation has impacted so many. Can we please show our appreciation and help her get what she needs so she can continue to be the gift she is to her students, family, and friends