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"From Guatemala to the Game: Gilmar Arana’s Journey Through Sports, Service, and Strength"
Episode 143

"From Guatemala to the Game: Gilmar Arana’s Journey Through Sports, Service, and Strength"

Walk and Roll Live-Disability Stories

September 9, 20251h 1m

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Show Notes

In this brand new episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Gilmar Arana, a 25-year-old athlete and advocate who was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Guatemala City. At just eight years old, Gilmar moved to the United States and discovered adaptive sports through Rancho Los Amigos.

From his early days under Coach Rick Tirambulo to competing at the Division 3 Wheelchair Basketball Nationals with coaches Héctor Duran and Ray Cervantes, Gilmar shares how sports have shaped his resilience, teamwork, and determination. He also talks about his time with the Los Angeles Chargers Wheelchair Football Team, his role as a Spanish interpreter at Rancho Los Amigos, and his current pursuit of an AA degree at Cerritos College—a path made possible by the encouragement of Coach David Rodarte.

This episode is a celebration of perseverance, community, and the power of adaptive sports to transform lives. Walk and Roll Live