What fantastic news. Welcome home Rosie. Big hugs for all the family. xx

Amazing resilience. What a difference a year can make.

Rosie Sparkles

A survivor, not a victim

Incredibly resilient

A strong and beautiful spirit that the most horrific circumstances couldn't crush

A daughter to be proud of

A family that I have so much respect for

Go well, Rosie. Thank you for allowing us to share this chapter of your life.

to Rosie

Great update

I just thought I'd pop back on here with a quick update, and maybe to brag just a wee bit as well...

When we shut down Rosie's Facebook story in September she'd just started with the whole Sledge Hockey thing. Three months into the season, she was moved up from the development group into the junior team, and has played a handful of competitive games since the end of January. Last weekend she scored her first goal, and has a number of assists to her name as well. Today (what an excuse to play hooky from school!) her team was invited by the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program, as part of the Maple Leafs centenary celebrations, to attend the Leafs' open practice session and then school some Leafs alumni (Darcy Tucker, Shayne Corson and Mike Foligno, for those to whom those names mean anything) in a sledge hockey clinic. In exchange for which they were presented with some Leafs swag. We think this is a little bit awesome

As the hockey season begins to wind down, she's decided that wheelchair racing is the thing to do in the summer. She had a go in a racing chair a few weeks ago at an indoor track: a couple of people who know what they're talking about suggested that, due to the nature and location of her spinal cord injury, she might be in a position to become quite good at it with a lot of hard work and dedication. We'll see where that one goes...

Fantastic news.

Here's hoping she enjoys the wheelchair racing too.

Go Rosie! It's sounds like she's doing really well with the hockey. I hope that she enjoys the wheelchair racing in summer just as much.

Occasionally a post just makes you smile and smile. Thanks so much for letting us know how Rosie's getting on, Oakvillian. Ain't nothing going to stop that girl having a great life.

Like most of us that have posted on this thread probably do, I sometimes find myself thinking of Rosie and all your family. I think of all the kids with a disability that I've met and spent time with, mostly through my own daughter who uses a wheelchair. I think about their parents, the resilience, bloody hard work and guts it can take to get through each day. I think about the shock and overwhelming grief on the day you get the diagnosis.

And then I see how far the kids have come, I see them smiling and doing stuff they enjoy, just being kids. And I see their parents, still a bit battered and bruised from the sheer slog of adapting their lives, both mentally and physically, from one normal to another normal - but they've got through the worst of it, they can smile and enjoy life again, they can plan ahead instead of having to wait and see how things turn out, and they are justifiably so very proud of their kids and their achievements.

I think you're wonderful - you, your wife, Rosie, your entire family

You have an amazing daughter...but you already know that. Rosie has an amazing family too.

Way to go Rosie...way to go!!!!

Well done Rosie. She's got some bottle!

What a fabulous update I would think that Rosie has already shown that's she's not afraid of hard work and dedication, I look forward to hearing of her achievements at the Paralympics in the future. Incidentally I have a neice who plays sledge hockey for Canada, it's quite some game, they're all amazing women.

Thank you so much for thinking to give a little update. I have wondered how life was toddling along for you all.

I feel your Rosie will excel at anything she puts her mind to. There again I rather suspect you all do, each in your own way. Indomitable spirit is a part of who you are as a family.

I hope she really enjoys and has great fun with her new sports. Fab news.

Love this. What a girl!

How fabulous is that! What an experience and a lovely memory to have..

I think Rosie is pretty darn amazing... as are you all.

Go Rosie!!