Building Disability Awareness with Mark Raymond Jr.
In the United States, 61 million people live with a disability. Mark Raymond Jr. is one of them—and his life changed in one moment. He was 27 years old and hanging out with friends on a boat. He dove into the water, which, unbeknownst to him, was quite shallow. He broke his neck and is now a C-5 quadriplegic requiring a wheelchair.
Mark’s life changed in a split second, and now he’s dedicated to helping other people with disabilities through his non-profit the Split Second Foundation. Mark and the foundation were able to open the first inclusive gym in Louisiana, Split Second Fitness. And he’s got big plans for a lot more.
Mark spoke with Good People, Cool Things about the Split Second Foundation, raising awareness around disabilities, and his favorite sports moment.
What's something most people don't know about living with a disability?
I think the majority of society fears disability and therefore tries to ignore the issues related to disability until something life-changing happens to them. A prime example was me at 27 years old, never thinking I would be in this position, and now being so keenly aware of all the challenges people with disabilities face.
Living with a disability is not that bad when you have the right support and resources around you. The biggest challenge is the mental hurdle of accepting what you’re going through.
Why did you decide to start the Split Second Foundation?
I chose to start Split Second Foundation because there was a huge lack of resources and programs for me when I was discharged from inpatient therapy. That experience, being isolated with very few places to turn for help, was challenging, so we created this organization to be a resource for people going through similar experiences.
How does Split Second Fitness benefit individuals with a disabling condition and how have you helped grow the fitness center?
Split Second fitness is the first activity-based fitness center intentionally focused on recovery for people who have experienced paralysis, amputation, and other disabilities. The challenge created by the healthcare system and insurance companies is people are discharged from outpatient therapy with no place to turn to continue their rehabilitation.
We created the space to be a safe environment for people to go as a continuum of care. We charge $50 a month, and with that, clients get access to the facility and to one-hour guided exercise sessions per week, which is really about an $850 value.
What are the highlights of the Show of Love Gala?
Love is a verb… this event is the actualization of the love Split Second Foundation has been giving to this community. We raffled off a 2022 Honda Accord, we gifted a wheelchair-accessible van to a family in need, and we honored the caregiver of one of our clients with the Caregiver of the Year Award!
We had entertainment from Big Sam’s Folk Nation, Mannie Fresh, and DJ Rockaway! Food was provided by 12 different restaurants from the New Orleans area, providing a taste of New Orleans, and the silent auction offered plenty of experiences and items for everyone to enjoy.
What’s your favorite sports moment?
My favorite sports moment was Game 4 of this past year‘s NBA Finals, watching Steph Curry take over that game and silence all the haters.
What's next for you?
Continuing to grow Split Second Foundation. We are launching Split Second Cares, a trauma-informed mental health and case management advisement program to help guide people to the highest quality of life. We are looking to acquire a building and develop accessible housing.
I’m extremely interested in the accessible tourism space and how to encourage cities to be more inclusive and thoughtful about the needs of people with different abilities. In 2023 we plan to move to a bigger space and hope to impact more than 1,000 lives. And so much more…