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My DePuy Synthes family!

To an outsider, this photo is just of a group of people on a stage. To me, this photo is proof of what happens when I said yes to what God has for me. If I would have never said yes to my spinal fusion surgery, I wouldn’t have the improved health that I do today and the hope of a longer life. Because of that yes, and God’s mercy and love giving me a miracle on December 2020 and January 11, 2021. Because of that miracle on those two days from saying yes, it captured those of thousands across the world. Sharing this miracle with thousands across the world led to so many more opportunities to say yes to. I said yes to being invited to be honored at the @settingscoliosisstraight gala in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2025. It was there I met Russell, president of DePuy Synthes, the company who manufactures most of my spine hardware that’s holding me up. He invited me to come be the keynote patient speaker at the DePuy Synthes National Sales Meeting in 2026 in San Diego, CA. When I said yes to that opportunity, I never imagined I’d gain an entire family. Without any hesitation - I know I could call on any one of these people in this photo and they’d be there for me in a second. Being able to travel across the country and speak I’ve been able to meet such incredible people. But few match up to this group right here. I can’t even put it in to words. The kindest, greatest, most selfless and most fun people I have ever met. The greatest gift ever and that is even cooler than the flashy stage. Every detail of the weekend, and that a ramp was built just for me (I know because I was the only one that used it 😄) I will never forget it. 📸: @masongeiger / @dreamonstudios.io #osteogenesisimperfecta #scoliosis #patientadvocacy #depuysynthes #scoliosissurvivor (continued in comments)

I just posted a video on Instagram of me seeing the ocean for the first time! Such a bucket list, dream come true experience!!

I’m 27 years old and on March 19, 2026 I saw the ocean for the very first time and it was even more beautiful than I ever imagined it would be 😭🥹🌊✨🌅 There aren’t enough words to describe what I was feeling in that moment. And getting to do it with my soul sister @kourtney.sari made the moment even more special. 😭🥹 5 years ago when I wasn’t sure I would survive, I never imagined where I’d be five years later. God’s creation leaves me in AWE and I’m so grateful I fought to be here to experience these moments. God is so so good and life is worth fighting for 🙌🏻🤍 Next time I’m in San Diego - I can’t wait to go IN the ocean 🥹 #osteogenesisimperfecta #ocean #sandiegocalifornia #wheelchairtravel #sandiego

In a previous post, I shared the next one would be when @kourtney.sari and I went to Sunset Cliffs. Here is a photo of me there, but before I share all the photos and videos from that, what happened there deserves its own post. 🥹❤️‍🩹🌅 Need to share an incredible God wink that happened there. 😭🌊 We visited Sunset Cliffs to watch the sunset (duh). Kourtney is a photographer so she went on the cliff to get some photos to add to her portfolio. While she was doing that, I was just sitting there taking it all in. Couldn’t believe we were there, and the why we are here is even more special and the fact that I got to witness such beauty. I got chills. But also holding my sweet Chloe girl as she took her last breath one week before this trip kept replaying in my mind. I couldn’t believe what I had endured in such a short amount of time. It still didn’t feel right being there having fun while my heart aches so much for my girl. It’s really confusing how joy and sadness co-exist. But it just does because life goes on even when your own world crumbles. I’m 27 years old and saw the ocean for the first time ever. It’s never too late to fulfill your bucket list items. This really nice lady was walking by her with her golden retriever. She could tell I was really excited to see it and asked me if I wanted to pet it. 🥺❤️‍🩹 And of course I said yes. I told her mine died recently so it I loved being able to pet one again. She was so glad to let me pet it. It healed and broke my heart all in one! The whole moment just felt like a God wink. There I was seeing the ocean for the first time and a golden retriever walked by and came to greet me. 🥹🐾 I miss my Chloe girl. She served me so perfectly. I miss her so so much and I’ll never stop missing her on this side of Heaven. #sunsetcliffs #griefandjoy #sandiegocalifornia #californiasunset #wheelchairtravel

Thank you to The Hive Inclusive Community for having me on the podcast!

Challenging Beauty Standards in Disability Advocacy Michaela Davert shares her journey as a disability advocate, challenging narrow beauty standards and discussing the importance of independence and representa...

I’m spending the entire weekend finally collecting, prepping and editing the content from my trip to San Diego with DePuy Synthes.

There’s so much content, it’s going to take me forever to share it all.

If you know me, you know I don’t usually lack things to say, but when I think about this trip, I struggle to find words to articulate how special it was to me. It was the most full circle, best trip of my entire life.

The entire DePuy Synthes team and my soul sister Kourtney made the weekend the best ever.

Little did I know I know after my presentation what the DePuy Synthes team had in store to surprise me with.

Kourtney sent me this photo she took on her phone and I can’t wait to share this special moment with all of you (and no, I did not make the slide on the screen behind me on the stage).

I tried so hard to hold it together to remain professional, but I just couldn’t. I bawled my eyes out right there on stage. I have never experienced a moment filled with so much love. No words to describe it.

My perfect Chloe girl still impacting my life even while she’s in Heaven and touching the lives of those who come to know of her and how special is to me.

When saying yes to this speaking engagement, I had no idea I would leave with an entire family. True angels on Earth. My DePuy Synthes family is one of my greatest treasures and it is the greatest blessing to have them as family.

God has blessed me with most beautiful life far beyond what I could have imagined or deserve. 5 years ago in the PICU on the ventilator, I never imagined this is where He would take me. To the darkest, scariest time of my life to the biggest stage to give Him the glory. Only God!

I can’t wait to share the most special moments of my life with you. Stay tuned - it will be worth the wait.

I’m spending the entire weekend finally collecting, prepping and editing the content from my trip to San Diego with DePuy Synthes. There’s so much content, it’s going to take me forever to share it all. 😅🥹 If you know me, you know I don’t usually lack things to say, but when I think about this trip, I struggle to find words to articulate how special it was to me. It was the most full circle, best trip of my entire life. The entire DePuy Synthes team and my soul sister Kourtney made the weekend the best ever. Little did I know I know after my presentation what the DePuy Synthes team had in store to surprise me with. 😭🩷 @kourtney.sari sent me this photo and I can’t wait to share this special moment with all of you (and no, I did not make the slide on the screen behind me on the stage). I tried so hard to hold it together to remain professional, but I just couldn’t. I bawled my eyes out right there on stage. I have never experienced a moment filled with so much love. No words to describe it. My perfect Chloe girl still impacting my life even while she’s in Heaven and touching the lives of those who come to know of her and how special is to me. 😭💞🐾 When saying yes to this speaking engagement, I had no idea I would leave with an entire family. True angels on Earth. My DePuy Synthes family is one of my greatest treasures and it is the greatest blessing to have them as family. God has blessed me with most beautiful life far beyond what I could have imagined or deserve. 5 years ago in the PICU on the ventilator, I never imagined this is where He would take me. To the darkest, scariest time of my life to the biggest stage to give Him the glory. Only God! 🙌🏻 I can’t wait to share the most special moments of my life with you. Stay tuned - it will be worth the wait. 🥹👀 #osteogenesisimperfecta #depuysynthes #chulavista #patientadvocacy #scoliosisjourney

It was the honor of my life to go to San Diego, California with DePuy Synthes to be the keynote patient speaker at their 2026 National Sales Meeting!!

I can't wait to share more!

📸: kourtneypaigephoto

While I was in the hospital after my first spine surgery in 2020, there will forever be one night in particular that sticks out to me. It was the night I was single-handedly in some of the worst physical pain I’ve ever experienced. They tried everything they possibly could, but it was completely out of control and medicines weren’t touching it. I didn’t know it was physically possible for me to endure what I was in that moment and I’ve experienced a lot of pain throughout my life. I was overly exhausted from it and just crying out that I wanted it to go away. I was begging God to give me the strength to make it through the night, begging Him to take the pain away. In that moment I was really angry with myself that I said yes to this, because nothing felt like it could ever be worth that amount of suffering. I remember vividly thinking, “God in this moment, I don’t see it but I pray that one day something good will come from these moments. I pray this wasn’t for nothing and that it will be worth it someday because right now it doesn’t. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through tonight.” He has answered that prayer tenfold in ways I couldn’t imagine, and little did I know the biggest opportunities were yet to come. While attending the Beyond the Curve Gala with @settingscoliosisstraight in 2025, I met the Russell Powers, President of DePuy Synthes - the manufacturer of most of my spinal hardware. He was in awe of my story and immediately told me he wanted me to come speak to a crowd of over 450+ (my biggest crowd yet) and attend at their next National Sales Meeting in 2026. The time has finally come and as you’re reading this I’m in San Diego, California with DePuy Synthes! This has been the hardest secret to keep!!! I could have never imagined this opportunity in my wildest dreams, but GOD! 😭🙌🏻 I’m in awe of what He has done in my life and the gift of life He’s given me!! To God be the glory!! 📸: @kourtneypaigephoto #depuysynthes #scoliosis #patientadvocacy #osteogenesisimperfecta #sandiego

Human Health Case Study - International Spine Study Group (ISSG) Annual Meeting International Spine Study Group brought their Annual Meeting to Viticus Group and their work impacts many lives.

The first video in my new Instagram series, Actually Accessible is now live!

Thank you Westin Hotels & Resorts at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) for hosting me. I look forward to staying again in the future.

Filmed by: C2 Visual Media, LLC.

Welcome to the first episode of my new series, Actually Accessible where I bring you along my travels to see if the hotel room I’m staying at is actually accessible to me. The first property I’m featuring in this series is @westindtw. Kourtney and I had the privilege of staying in the Junior Suite, 1 Bedroom (Mobility Accessible, Roll-In Shower) room. It was a fabulous experience and the Westin at DTW treated us like queens! Overall, I felt this room was pretty accessible for the most part with some improvement, it could be even better. I’d give the accessibility rating of this room a 7/10. 🤗 If you’re a wheelchair user, what is the most important feature of a wheelchair accessible room? For me, I’d say maneuverability of the space with a power wheelchair and a big enough bathroom. And this space delivered on both of these things. Should I review the non-suite (standard) mobility accessible room at this property next? 👀 Let me know what property I should feature in this series next! Here’s to raising awareness to make travel more accessible for wheelchair users, one hotel room at a time! 👏🏻 Thank you to @westindtw for hosting us! *This stay was hosted by The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport. All views and opinions are my own. Thank you to @c2visualmedia for helping me film this! #ActuallyAccessible #hotelroomtour #wheelchairtravel #travelblogger #detroitmichigan

2 years in a row 🥹🔩 (I realized I didn’t post last years’ so I’m posting that one now, too).

This is so dang cool.

Thanks, Feedspot Blog Reader!

I don’t know how I will get through this or ever have joy again.

I will never, ever be the same and my life will never be the same.

A piece of me died today and a spark in me I'll never have again.

It was the greatest honor and joy of my life to take care of her. She took care of me so perfectly and with such joy.

Please pray for me.

It doesn’t seem possible to be writing this and no words can describe the deep pain and emptiness I feel. 2.5 weeks before her 13th birthday, Chloe went home to be with Jesus. I’ve dreaded and feared this day for a long time. My best friend. My better half. I spent 50% of my life with her and we quite literally grew up together. I’m not sure how to go on and there will be a void that can never be filled. Today she had 7 seizures. The last 5 were back to back and she collapsed to the floor a couple times. I knew this is when God was calling me to send her home to Him. It was so quick and sudden. An hour before her last seizure cluster she wanted to play ball and was so happy and playful. We rushed to the ER vet and she had 2 more on the way there. Saying goodbye to her was the hardest and most traumatic day of my life. It still doesn’t feel real because it was so sudden. She protected me. She provided for me. She kept me safe. She made me more independent. She brought me unconditional joy and gave unconditional love. Prime rib, carrots and eggs were her favorite foods. She was always being a retriever and bringing me silly items. She would always steal my pillows from my bed. She was the best service dog ever and the best dog to ever live. If only humans would fulfill their purpose as well as she fulfilled hers, God would be so proud. She ran her race, and she ran it perfectly. (continued in comments) #retiredservicedog #dynamicduo #griefandloss #mybestfriendhaspaws #servicedogteam