Everytime I think of the most glowy, fabulous woman in a wheelchair I think of Ali Stroker. Armed with her gorgeous beach girl look (with a splash of Broadway chic), Ali made history last year becoming the first person in a wheelchair to be cast in a lead role in a professional musical, starring in The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee at the Paper Mills Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey.

Why she’s fearless

Injured when she was 2 years old in a car accident, Ali, now 24, is one of those people in wheelchairs who’s refused to think of herself as having any limitations just because she injured her spine, and I absolutely love her for it.

With her big lead role, Ali’s completely shattered the theater-acting glass ceiling for actors in wheelchairs; pulverized it, obliterated it, adios. Now thanks to her, there’s no excuse for any disabled actor to think anything is impossible when it comes to their career. Ali’s career upstroke was not only a boon for her, but a boon for thousands of other disabled actors. So great!

And to be completely girly for a second, she’s also one of the most fashionable woman in a wheelchair that I‘ve ever seen; which isn‘t hard of course with her long curly blonde hair and big Julia Roberts smile, but oh my does she know how to dress for her wheelchair. Stylish, perfectly fitted cropped jackets and mid-thigh dresses, making sure to pay attention to the shoulders…oh this girl has got it.

What’s next?

Since her break-out musical role, Ali is moving on to even bigger and more exciting things. She will be one of the featured 14 contestants on the upcoming Oxygen show, The Glee Project, a competition singing reality show returning for a second season and premiering June 5th. Good luck Ali, and kick (virtually) some reality show contestant butt!

Watch the video!

- Watch Ali’s interview for the The Glee Project

When I started playing the clarinet in 5th grade, it was like the heavens parted in my brain – I became exponentially better at math within the year, not to mention falling in love with playing. The reeds, the cork wax, the delicate scales, I was obsessed (and 3rd chair). When I broke my neck, realizing my fingers were going to be paralyzed too, it was a sad sad day (especially when my Mom sold it at one of her garage sales).

But I gotta say, saying goodbye to my love of music was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done after my injury. Maybe in my wildest dreams, jerry-rigging a clarinet (to work for my quad hands) would maybe work, but not all instruments are impossible to adapt. Take for example what Robb Madison, a T8 paraplegic, has come up with to still use his drumset.  I’ve seen some expensive drum mods, but this, almost anyone can do.

Since Robb can no longer activate the bass drum with his leg, he devised a way to hold three drumsticks to mimic the bass drum sound. He holds one stick in his left hand and two sticks (one with a larger rubber end) in his right. When he drums with his right hand, he applies the sticks to his drums just so, making sure they make contact with the drum separately (so you can distinctively hear the bass sound). And he’s also created several other smart drum stick variations to make up for his diminished mobility, including creating a drumstick with cymbals built into it.

And if you thought it was impossible for a quad of any level to effectively play a guitar, you gotta watch this video from blues master Tom Doughty, a C7 quad from the UK. He’s mastered the skill of “lap strumming,“ where you set your guitar on your lap and play.

And wow, watching him is so impressive, he hits so many notes (!) and his voice – absolutely beautiful. Who would’ve thought all of this instrument playing is possible despite paralysis?

Watch the videos

- Robb Madison shows off his drumming technique

- Tom Doughty lap strumming on his steel guitar