Joe Guintu
Joe Guintu, a California native, was vacationing in Hawaii in 2007, enjoying a surf lesson. At the end of the lesson, something didn’t feel right. Getting out of the water and heading for the stairs, he was shocked to find he couldn’t climb them, or even walk. What transpired in the hours, days, and weeks that followed, in the hospital and under the care of doctors, was paralysis from the waist down, identified as the rare surfer’s myelopathy. What he didn’t know at the time was that a path to adaptive sports lay in his future.
Fast forward to 2015, Joe had just returned from Australia, where he had begun participating in wheelchair sports like tennis and basketball. He was looking for programs in Southern California, and his search happened to coincide with the first Angel City Games. He was thrilled!
“It was incredible to be a part of the beginning of this movement in Southern California, and I felt the personal and community impact right from the start,” Joe shares.
“It’s very easy to take the easy way out and make (perfectly valid) excuses for not being active, especially given the difficulty of accessing equipment. Angel City Sports removes those barriers and makes access much easier. It’s very important for people with disabilities to stay active, as there are many positive health benefits and, conversely, many negative effects if they don’t.”
At the first Games, Joe focused on wheelchair basketball, but he also participated in complementary activities such as the opening ceremony and the awards presentation. For him, it was important to be at an event where, as he says, “people with disabilities were the main focus and not an afterthought. I felt like a star interacting with and learning from Paralympic athletes, and I’m still amazed at how close-knit and supportive this community is.”
As with any new experience, Joe was nervous, unsure how formal or competitive the event would be. “I’m an ‘average Joe’ (pun intended!), a regular guy who wants to stay active, but probably won’t compete at the highest level and is looking to be part of the community. The welcoming atmosphere, from founders Clayton and Ezra to the volunteers, was very comforting.”
After his first Games, and every time he attended an event, bringing family and friends, the energy and inspiration of the event and the attendees always brought him unexpected joy and a renewed passion for life and for others.
“At every event I’ve attended, there are moments, interactions, and connections that are simply magical. Like hearing someone who’s recently been injured say their life and career are over because they’re in a wheelchair, and being able to share my personal story and professional achievements and see them light up. Or hearing about a family who traveled for days to try a new sport, fell in love with it, and received their equipment right then and there. These moments that Angel City Sports creates are incredible and helped me get back into acting (thanks to connections within the ACS community), something I had left behind years ago. Being connected to the Angel City Sports community can give you a whole new perspective,” Joe shares.
For Joe, Angel City Sports is more than just sports. It’s a community for people with physical disabilities and their caregivers (whether parents, partners, or friends), where they can share experiences and emotions, from the challenges to the joy and fun of a new life filled with hope and community.
Although Joe still has moments when he takes the easy way out, having Angel City Sports in his life keeps him focused on his goals: staying active, building a routine for a healthy and well-rounded life, and continuing to strengthen the adaptive community. Joe is fully involved: he’s a participating athlete and now a member of the Angel City Sports board of directors. We are proud of his accomplishments and grateful for his commitment to the power of adaptive sports and his community.
