Impacting a life can happen with out you even knowing. In 2012 we were e-mailed this letter from a teacher, Michael, to 9 News nominating Sergio for the 9WhoCare Award. As a teacher Michael didn’t know how to help a student in a wheelchair and sought Sergio’s help. At the time Sergio didn’t realize he was making an impact on not only a student’s life as well as a teacher.
To Whom It May Concern: November 19, 2012
I write you today to tell you about a person who I feel is very much deserving of being a 9Who Cares winner. My name is Michael Dischner and I am currently a physical education and health teacher at Yuma Middle School in Yuma, Colorado. I teach grade levels 4-8 and have a student who is in the 6th grade who I had thought was confined to a wheel chair. My student has been confined to this wheel chair the entire time I have known him, but it does not discourage him or keep him from being your everyday 6th grader. After seeing how motivated he was and how willing he was to work, our school sought out help from an individual who was also confined to a wheel chair but has not let it slow him down either. That individual’s name is Sergio Sanchez and he truly deserves to be a 9Who Cares winner.
Sergio is currently a manager at a local farm store in Yuma. He also has quickly become a hero. Sergio takes time out of his day to come and work with the student in a wheelchair during his physical education class. Sergio has helped him to not be confined to his wheel chair and has helped teach him how to get in and out of his wheel chair on his own. Sergio has made a commitment that he has fulfilled without seeking any sort of compensation or praise. He now comes 3 times a week to help the student to help strengthen his upper body. Sergio has my student get out of his wheel chair and have him do sit-ups, push-ups, and dips. It is a fun sight to watch the two work together and see how my student has responded and excelled from seeing Sergio throughout each week.
As a staff we approached Sergio because he has been so successful despite his own disability. Sergio was shot in two separate shootings when he was younger. One of those shootings led him to being paralyzed from the waist down. As I have previously mentioned, he now manages a successful ranch store and raises his family of five. With his busy schedule he still finds time to come in.
The student’s lifestyle has completely changed since meeting Sergio. He now comes to physical education knowing that he is going to learn something new that he can apply to his everyday activities. As a physical educator, I did not know how to help him in a way that Sergio has. He has helped him realize that he can still be a part of everyday life and has helped teach him strategies to do so. He has volunteered all this time and he deserves to be recognized. Please consider Sergio Sanchez as a 9Who Cares winner.
