SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — The wheelchair Miara Miles once used is tucked away in her garage. It takes her a second to figure out how to open it, because she hasn’t used it for a while.
But it still brings back memories.
"I remember being very scared," Miles said. "I was very confused, because I just didn’t really understand what was happening."
As a child, Miles was diagnosed with a brain tumor that caused epilepsy. In 2020, she had a violent seizure and lost her ability to walk. Miles doesn’t know exactly what caused her legs to fail, but she spent more than a year living in a nursing home.
She’s 27.
Watch Miles share her story below:
It took her two years to learn how to walk again, but that wasn’t the hardest part.
"I had to learn how to make friends again," Miles said. "It was very hard, very isolating, very lonely. You’re just left in the dark and aren’t really sure where to turn."
Miles turned to Hamilton County’s Developmental Disabilities Services. First, it started with group Zoom calls. Then, they connected her with something called PigAbilities, a Flying Pig training group for people of all abilities.
Ann Myres, a community navigator for the county’s disabilities services, leads the group.
"Miara is awesome," Myres said. "She’s just a wonderful advocate for others who have developmental disabilities."
The group meets every weekend in the spring. It’s one of the things that helped Miles feel like herself again after she left the nursing home.
"I always say you should see the ability — not the disability — in people," Miles said. "And I feel like I’m finally meeting people that are seeing me for my abilities."
Now, Miles is a group ambassador, sharing her story to empower others. A story that starts with a brain tumor she didn’t fully understand. A story she now tells from the back porch of a home where she lives independently — something she says many people in her hometown didn’t think she’d ever do.
A story that ends with Miles taking her dog for a walk. A story she smiles about — even when she has to pick up the dog's poop.
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Want to get involved?
More information about Flying Pig training meetups can be found by clicking this link.
