Helen Woodward Therapeutic Riding Client Remembers Her Dad by Paying It Forward…
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (November 17, 2020) – 2020 has been a challenging year for many people, but few more than Lizzy Simas, a Helen Woodward Animal Center Therapeutic Riding client who lost her father to a heart attack just a few months ago. The young woman, who has struggled to walk all of her life but takes life by the reins on horseback, is no stranger to meeting challenges head on. Now a loving tribute to her late father is proving that Lizzy not only knows how to find the good, she pays it forward. The media is invited to a special presentation from the Simas Family to Helen Woodward Animal Center, San Diego Fire Station 36 and the San Diego Police Department on Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 a.m., in the Center’s Humane Education Parking Lot.
Helen Woodward Animal Center Therapeutic Riding client Elizabeth “Lizzy” Simas had a life filled with medical trials. Diagnosed prenatally with an extra female chromosome, she was born with bilateral hip dysplasia and by the age of three, had been diagnosed with Legg Calve Perthes Disease – a childhood hip disorder in which a disruption of blood flow to the femur causes the bone to die and stop growing. At the age of four, Lizzy underwent multiple surgical procedures but more struggles were ahead. That same year, she was diagnosed with a seizure disorder which, along with a childhood stroke, led to speech delays, short term memory loss, motor planning difficulties and developmental delays.
Despite her extensive medical history, Lizzy was a young woman full of life and a passion for living. When Lizzy turned 20, her parents sought out the Center’s Therapeutic Riding Program to not only assist with her unique challenges but to also give her a sport to fuel her passion. Lizzy was a perfect candidate for the program and, as it turned out, an ace student, excelling in all of her classes and even qualifying to compete in the United Professional Horseman’s Association (UPHA) National Championships, where she was named the top 5th rider in the Nation and awarded a program scholarship.
Throughout it all, Lizzy’s mother and father were integral parts of her development and cheerleaders through each of her achievements. For this reason, the sudden heart attack of her beloved father, Ronald, on May 17 this year was particularly devastating. Although first responders from San Diego Fire Station 36 arrived on the scene only minutes later, all efforts to resuscitate him failed.
Lizzy, her sister Nazare, and their mother Teri decided to pay his love forward. This October, on Lizzy’s 24th birthday, Lizzy requested donations be made to Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Therapeutic Riding Program in her father’s name (Ronald Simas) in lieu of gifts. Additionally, donations from the family will be made in Ronald’s name to San Diego Fire Station 36 and to the San Diego Police Department’s Canine Unit and Widows & Orphans Fund.
“Lizzy has such a big heart and incredible spirit,” Therapeutic Riding Program Manager, Courtney Mellor said. “When her father passed away, my heart broke for her. But her decision on how she was going to cope with it is incredibly touching and so perfectly in keeping with the way she handles every hardship she’s met.”
Helen Woodward Animal Center is proud to host an event for the Simas Family to present their donations to the Center, San Diego Fire Department and the San Diego Police Department. The media is welcome to attend, Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 a.m. in the Humane Education Parking lot. The Simas Family and representatives from the aforementioned organizations, as well as Therapeutic Riding Horse and HWAC Mayor Jack will be on-site to honor Ronald Simas with the special presentation.
If you would like more information on participating in the program or providing funding support, contact Therapeutic Riding Program Manager Courtney Mellor at (858) 756-4117 x321, go to www.animalcenter.org, or stop by Helen Woodward Animal Center at 6523 Helen Woodward Way, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067.