Staying Connected to ASA: John Suggs’s Story
 | Lisa Dornell Suggs was reading a local Howard County magazine when she came across an article about Stephanie and David Blades’ involvement with ASA - that’s when it clicked. This is the perfect organization for her son, John, to join. She and her husband Robert are always on the lookout for opportunities to get John involved in the community, so they immediately made some calls, and soon enough John found himself on the ASA Athlete waiting list. Shortly after that, he received the invitation to become a full-blown ASA Athlete and participated in his first official race - a 5k to benefit Girls on the Run. |
“We’ve met some lovely people, and John immediately loved participating in training runs and races,” Lisa says. “The commitment and the love of the WingMen is amazing, and it’s a great experience for John and our family - it gives us something to focus on besides disability.”
| Despite COVID-19 preventing the Suggs from participating in running events in person in 2020, John and his family kept their spirits up and stayed connected. They participated in virtual races and made signs to cheer on those who were out there running. John and his father even entered a “Run Across America” challenge where they went on long walks around the neighborhood together and tracked their distance. As a result, John got to connect with his neighbors that he saw out on his daily walks. |  |
One summer highlight stands out for the Suggs family: the day that a “We Miss You” sign for John appeared in their yard.
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“It was a huge surprise when we opened the door!” said Lisa. “We loved the picture, and John had the biggest grin on his face. He was so happy, and it shows that ASA is still thinking about him, still values him, and still wants to maintain that connection - even though we aren’t able to be with everyone in person right now.”
John is looking forward to being reunited with his ASA community friends once again. In the meantime, you can find him attending Zoom dance parties and rolling around the neighborhood with his dad and making new friends on their walks.
John is looking forward to being reunited with his ASA community friends once again. In the meantime, you can find him attending Zoom dance parties and rolling around the neighborhood with his dad and making new friends on their walks.
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