All Things Gwen

A true blessing! Friend, inspiration and teacher - Matthew Rich, Jr.

How we met
It was interesting how we came to know each other. See, I have this Fit Friends fan page on Facebook and one of my friends suggested that Matthew fan the page. Right away, I noticed him. He was really enthusiastic about the health and fitness information I was posting, and was adding a lot of interesting comments. He really loved the purpose of the fan page — to motivate others to be happy and healthy.

We decided to chat on the phone — we were both interested in creating a video with workout moves and other fun stuff. After a little while, I had to go, but we made plans to keep in touch and get together to do more brainstorming. I’ll never forget what Matthew said before we hung up … he told me that there was a lot more he still had to tell me. Matthew told me he has cerebral palsy and is in wheelchair. That really caught me off guard because I knew he was a personal trainer, loved karate and just started dance classes. He uses his crutches whenever possible.

The key here is that I didn’t know he had any physical challenges. With his attitude, his accomplishments and his goals — you’d never know it. That’s how he lives his life. He doesn’t let things hold him back or feel saddened by what he can’t do. Matthew pushes ahead and does the things that people wouldn’t expect. He does it for himself, but he does it for other people too. He’s an example of how with hard work and determination, anything is possible. He says his place in life is to inspire others. I LOVE IT.

Appreciating the small things
After we hung up the phone, I got emotional immediately. I never told Matt this, but I called our mutual friend right away and cried. “Meeting” Matthew really put things into perspective. At the time, I was really stressed out with work, managing my time and meeting my personal and professional goals. I’m often really hard on myself … looking ahead to the next big thing … but Matthew’s influence has helped remember the little things.

It’s easy to forget how fast and easy it is to tie my shoes, go out for groceries or make myself a meal. For him, it’s more challenging. It takes more time, or maybe he needs help.

Why I love Matthew
Everything Matthew says is true, heartfelt and with passion. When we met in person, we shared a few touching moments. He told me about his faith in God, about his supportive family and his goal to walk down a hallway from one end to the other — with no crutches. These are big goals for someone who was pronounced dead FOUR TIMES when he was born.

I know he’s going to get there, and I know he’s going to keep doing what he loves — inspiring others and making a difference. In fact, Matthew works with people who are in wheelchairs ,”able-bodied people” and kids. He does big things. For example, Matthew helped his friend — who had not stood from his wheelchair in years —stand for an hour. Matthew held his friend up. There’s a video on the Fit Friends page!

Working with Matthew
The other day, I had a unique and touching learning experience. For the first time, I worked closely with “boys” in wheelchairs. Matthew invited me to a special Fun Night at a local school. All the boys were 15 – 21 years old, and our plan was to put together a workout. The majority of the group also have cerebral palsy.

I didn’t really know what to expect. But when I got there, I was happy to see that there were two dozen physical therapy students working with our group. The students had each of the boys out of their chairs and on the mat.
Matthew and I turned on some fun music and did “boot camp” with exercises such as lifting your arms up and down, bringing your knees to your chest, scissor kicking your legs, etc. The physical therapy students were a big help since many boys couldn’t do these moves by themselves. Many boys couldn’t speak either.

Some of them looked at us with such joy, I knew we made their day. In fact, Matthew and I spoke to the group to tell them how inspiring they are. I explained that the physical therapy students learned a lot that day, and that they’ll be able to help other people in wheelchairs based on that experience. One boy said — we are teachers too. (He was referring to himself.)

My thoughts
He was exactly right. We are all teachers. We all mean something. If we do the best with what we’re given, we’re teaching others.

What’s next
I’m helping Matthew with a fundraising event to raise money for his friend who needs at-home care. The event will be June 19 at Liberty Boxing in Turnersville, NJ. For more details, email Matthew at matthewrichjr@yahoo.com.