Next Day Access Ramp Featured in Olympian’s Home

You, like most Americans, have been completely glued to your television during the Olympic games? What is it about the Olympic games that makes them so stimulating? Of course, seeing top athletes compete at the top of their game is part of the reason, but it’s also their stories about struggles, strengths, or overcoming injuries and hardship. Their stories of redemption will inspire and motivate even the coldest of hearts. “It’s just so wonderful to see amazing and talented people doing remarkable things, especially when we know they have been faced with obstacles that most people could not endure,” said a fan. At the Tokyo Olympic games, Sunisa Lee, one of the competitors from the American gymnastic team, has had a significant role in the stories that inspired us.

When Simone Biles unexpectedly exited the U.S. gymnastics team to focus on her mental health, she left some big shoes to fill. Yet Sunisa Lee or “Suni” rose to meet the challenge. The 18-year-old Team USA star, who already made history this year as the first-ever Hmong American to become an Olympic competitor, dominated the competition to win gold in the all-around, making her the fifth straight U.S. woman to place first in the event. 

While Suni trained for the Olympics, she cared for her recently paralyzed father, grieving the deaths of her aunt and uncle due to COVID and recovering from a broken foot that nearly ended her lifelong dream to win gold. 

Two days before the 2019 National Championships, Suni’s father, John Lee, fell from a ladder while trimming a tree. He was paralyzed from the chest down. At the time, Suni’s coach was not sure that she should be competing out of concern for her safety. She told the press that, “A distracted athlete is a danger to themselves because they are much more likely to lose focus and get injured.” Yet, John Lee remained confident in his daughter’s ability to compete under pressure. Before Lee stepped onto the mat, they were on FaceTime, and he told her to “clear her mind and remember to have fun.” “She can stay focused when she puts her mind to it,” he told NBC News.  

On many occasions, John Lee’s physical disability would keep him from being by his daughter’s side as she competed. This year even though Suni was 6,000 miles (about twice the width of the United States) away in Tokyo, Lee and his extended friends and family watched from Brother’s Event Center in Oakdale to share support. It was the first time since John’s accident that he was able to see his daughter compete in an arena. When asked how it felt to watch her, John responded, “It means a lot, especially now that Sunisa is getting close to the end of her gymnastics career, and … I can come and watch it. It means a great deal.” 

While watching coverage of Suni Lee’s story, a Next Day Access employee could not help but beam with pride as he spotted a Next Day Access wheelchair ramp outside of John Lee’s home. He took to his Facebook to share his delight. He shared a picture of a ramp and captioned it, “So yeah…we not only support our veterans but…our Olympic family as well.” Chris Bakalars, the owner of Next Day Access Twin Cities, said that after it aired, five other franchise owners also saw it and immediately contacted him to ask if it was his franchise that installed it. He looked it up, and sure enough, it was them. He said, “It was pretty neat!” He went on to say it was just a normal install in an average American home, and he is glad they could help him out.

At Next Day Access, we want to make sure you can continue to enjoy the special moments in your life with ease, especially if the moment is watching your daughter win an Olympic gold medal. We are proud to provide necessary, life-changing solutions to anyone with limited mobility. Contact us today.