Meet Michaella

Michaella Coopman received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in mathematics. She then received her Masters from Northwestern in Business Administration.

On Sunday, August 20th, Michaella sustained a life-altering injury resulting from a large distance fall from her apartment balcony in Aurora, CO. The fall caused severe shattering of her T11 and T12 vertebrae, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury.

Michaella applied and received a loan for a modified vehicle to help her get to medical appointments and be independent. Prior to the loan, she had a vehicle that didn’t make it possible to transport her or her wheelchair. Michaella shared with Able Up Iowa that “my accident was a blessing and a curse at the same time. A curse because I am unable to do some things that I love, but a blessing cause you really realize who your true friends are” and “there is a lot of struggle, but there is a lot of struggle being able bodied too. It’s just different kinds of struggles.”

Michaella has a positive outlook for her future. She is looking forward to getting married to her boyfriend and her future. She wants a child – to write a blog – and to be part of a clinical trial and walk again.