At just 20, Brooklyn Aleksic was a standout—an athlete, a university scholar studying education, and a young woman with a clear vision for her future: a summer job at a Saskatchewan golf course, family time, and plans to become an elementary school teacher. Then one morning, everything changed.
She woke up unable to move. Within two hours, she was paralyzed from the neck down. After urgent tests at Regina General Hospital, doctors diagnosed her with transverse myelitis—a rare inflammation of the spinal cord that disrupts nerve signals, often striking suddenly and without warning.
Far from home, her family rallied. Her mother stayed in Regina; friends launched a GoFundMe to cover emergency transport back to B.C., rehab, adaptive gear, and round‑the‑clock care. Despite the paralysis, Brooklyn remained optimistic—smiling, joking, and inspiring everyone around her. Over CA\$100,000 was raised in just days.
After weeks in Saskatchewan, she was transferred to Vancouver for specialist rehabilitation, including spinal‑cord therapy, physical training, and assistive technology. Recovery is slow and uncertain, but Brooklyn faces it with the same grit she showed as a curler and student.
Transverse myelitis can cause paralysis, sensory loss, and bladder issues, and while some patients recover with early treatment, others face long-term effects—only time will tell. For now, Brooklyn’s determination, community support, and medical care offer hope in a fight that has reshaped, not defined, her life.