A Day that Changed Anastasia's Life!
In October 2008, Anastasia was commissioned as the Awards Presenter for the National Womens Competitions held at Mississaugas Hershey Centre. The state of the art sports facility houses Gymnastic Mississauga, which was designed by Alex Bard a passionate Mississauga Coach who is in our Sports Hall of Fame.
The competitions would last for a 3 day period and the champions would continue to the International Competitions held in Florida USA in February of 2009. Champions from those competitions would have a bright future working towards their routines for the next Olympic Games, representing Canada.
It was during that 3 day period that Anastasia was first introduced to Taylor Lindsay Noel and was just stunned!
" At first when I walked into the Gymnasium, I thought I had missed out on an award presentation, yet felt that there was a variant present. I looked around and saw that there were many gathered in a group, there was silence and a could hear a mumbling. I couldn't make out what was happening so I walked in front of the audience and crowd of parents, to nearly the centre of the gymnasium to see what the young gymnasts were doing; to see why they were all standing around ....and to my shock I saw what I saw! I froze and my eyes filled with tears as I watched and collected myself to contain the tears from rolling like a river."
Anastasia would later learn the story and approach Taylor Lindsay Noel's mother requesting permission for a photo together, so that she could take it back to Royal LePage. Royal LePage has a Shelter Foundation whose mandate is to assist women and children who come from abusive scenarios; not quite the circumstances as in the Lindsay- Noel case. Heart broken Anastasia leaves her managers office but understands that Royal LePage does so much to help so many. Her manger Heidi Noel's compassion makes it even more comforting.
Knowing Anastasia though- she adds this to her upcoming "little list" of Community Engagement Projects. Anastasia becomes more passionate about her new friends as she calls them- when she finds out that Roweena (Taylor Lindsay Noel's mom) is a single parent. The "wheels start turning" and well for those who know Anastasia, you know what we are talking about.
Taylor Lindsay-Noel broke her neck attempting a difficult dismount from the uneven bars, that apparatus made famous by the perfect Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci.
If Taylor had managed to perfect the routine introduced by her coach, Brian McVey, her chances of making the Canadian team for the 2012 Olympics in London would be enhanced. No one, it seems, is quite prepared for the consequences of a failed attempt.
"No child deserves this, but especially not this one. She's a brilliant, brilliant girl with aspirations to pursue sports medicine."
A gymnast for 10 years, she was hand-picked for the national elite program that lands on the team representing Canada.
Elementary school saw a rigorous daily regimen of practice 7 to 10: 30am, school, then practice 4 to 6pm after school; summertime training ran from 4 to 8 at night. Enrolled in the gifted-athletes program at Northview Secondary School in Grade 9 last year, she was an honours student and the top Grade 9 student in math. Then, July 15, she was attempting something she had never done before, on her weakest apparatus. Lights out.
From the ambulance, Taylor told her mom, "I don't want to end up in a wheelchair."
Eight hours of surgery at SickKids and she's rehabbing at Bloorview, that heartbreak of a place where too many kids are wheeled in and too few walk away.
April 26, 2009
The current website www.teamtaylor.ca is in the process of being developed.
We encourage you to share this link with as many friends and family as possible.
We need your support. Gerald Russell said it best "if you can't donate money, then donate time" Every little bit helps.
When Buying or Selling, Renting, needing Financing, Renovations or Construction - please refer Anastasia Tolias. Partial Proceeds from Commissions earned go towards the Taylor Lindsay Noel HOME Build Initiative.
May 2009
Demolition begins here in Toronto, CANADA- As the building of our new home will be started from ground zero, any building material, labour or trades and/or financial donation at this stage of the process would be a great support. The goal is to get this home built so that Taylor will be able to leave Bloorview and be in a comfortable, wheelchair accessible home to begin to live her new life.
