Case Studies

Warren Dunphy-Miller, 21, is a force of nature. Born with Down syndrome, he’s grown into one of the most kind-hearted, energetic, and inspiring young adults we’ve had the privilege of working with. His joy is contagious, and over time, we’ve seen him step confidently into adulthood—with a stronger sense of self, purpose, and leadership. Warren…

In January 2025, Jules Miller was in a dark place. Once a vibrant, joyful TikTok creator who used her platform to uplift others with special needs, she had completely withdrawn. For 30 straight days, she didn’t leave the house. She was battling depression, obesity, and had just been diagnosed with diabetes. Nothing seemed to spark…

Meet Brenna Carpenter, a 22-year-old Special Strong athlete whose journey is nothing short of inspiring. Brenna faces multiple complex diagnoses, including Autism, SCID (post-stem cell transplant), Juvenile Dermatomyositis, 16p11.2 deletion syndrome, and hemiplegic migraines. But none of these challenges define her—what does is her resilience, determination, and incredible heart. Brenna was one of our very…

Joseph Dusl, was born with SpinoCerebellar Ataxia 29—a rare condition that left most of his cerebellum missing. Doctors said he would never walk or talk. He missed all his early milestones, and as he grew older, the reality of his condition began to set in. He saw how different he was from his peers—unable to…

Meet Nicko Lloyd, a 19-year-old high school senior with Down syndrome who lives life to the fullest! Between school, Special Olympics, his love for swimming, and his time at Gigi’s Playhouse, Nicko’s schedule is packed—but he always makes time to train and grow stronger at Special Strong. From the moment he steps into the gym,…

Meet Callie Hoots, a 37-year-old woman with 1p36 Deletion Syndrome, who is making remarkable progress in her fitness journey. Her diagnosis is often linked to obesity, but Callie refuses to let that define her. When she started with Special Strong, Callie set three clear goals:Build muscle. Increase endurance. Improve her health.And she’s been steadily moving…

Jeanne Andersen is a 52-year-old Marine Corps veteran with a heart of gold, a salty personality, and a dry sense of humor that keeps us all laughing. She lives with Multiple Sclerosis and early-onset dementia, and uses a wheelchair due to a mix of health challenges. When Jeanne started working with us at Special Strong…

When Beau was born sunny side up, with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, we had no idea the journey ahead. He was jaundiced and spent his first week in the hospital. By age two, we learned he was autistic and had a gut virus that made it hard for his body to process…

It all started with a scroll. While browsing social media one day, I came across a video that immediately stopped me in my tracks. It was a short clip—but powerful. A young man named Brandon was walking for the first time in a long time. The video credited his progress to something called Special Strong.…