November 11, 2024
At the top of the snow-covered mountains in Colorado, 15-year-old Julie Inman was ready to take on the slopes. Jumping down and onto her skis, she made her way down the mountain, swerving and weaving through the thick blanket of snow and trees. Her legs bent and guided her down as the skis paved a path behind her. She felt like she was on top of the world.
Looking out into the mountains with the sun shining bright in the sky, Inman was ready for this vacation to be full of activity and fun, just like she’d hoped.
Until things took a turn down a bad slope.
When Inman was born, she had a congenital blood clot in her brain. The doctors told her parents that it would rupture naturally at some point during her life due to the malformed blood cells, but there wasn’t much else they could tell them at that time.
Choosing to stay optimistic, Inman’s parents raised her the same way as any other child, refusing to let this medical hiccup stand in the way.
While in the Colorado mountains, Inman’s blood clot ruptured (she doesn’t remember when or exactly where it happened). She was rushed to the hospital and extended her family's vacation by a month for medical treatment. She doesn’t recall much from that month in the hospital, but she knew that life wouldn’t be the same.
“People often ask me if the difference in altitude caused it to rupture,” Inman said, “I always just laugh and say that it was bound to happen at some point.”
Inman grew up with a knack for activity and fun. She spent her time coaching little girl's sports and coming to know families within her hometown of Irvine, California.
Coming back from Colorado, Inman’s world was completely different. After coming home from a six-month-long hospital stay, Inman's world was flipped upside down.
From navigating everyday tasks with a wheelchair, extensive physical therapy, new medications and taking a year off from school, Inman missed out on the things most high school-aged girls yearn for.
But it wasn’t all bad.
Friends and family stepped in to help whenever possible, assisting her with physical therapy and tutoring her in French and geometry.
“I had this swarm of support from the people I had grown up around,” Inman says, “It was so nice of them to come and help me through that process and reminded me of the good in people.”
As an only child, Inman enjoyed having people to spend time with and help her recover. It made the process fun and allowed her to return to her normal self. Even though she was adjusting to life in a wheelchair, she was able to get back into swimming, walking and even began painting.
“It was hard work, I won’t lie about that, but it was so nice to be surrounded by people that supported me,” said Inman.
Today, Inman aspires to bring that same level of support and care to high school students facing struggles with disabilities and obstacles through her non-profit organization, SupportAbility. For 30 years, Inman worked through her own obstacles while doing everything she could to support others with similar struggles.
It all started when Inman’s father was moved by his daughter’s resilience and determination through her recovery. He knew that his daughter had always dreamed of owning a non-profit and decided to start a scholarship program in her honor.
Inman always thought that she would one day take charge of what her father started. And she soon did.
Five years later, after graduating from the University of Southern California, Inman decided she wanted to turn the scholarship into something more.
“I was ready to expand, include more and do more for others,” said Inman.
Diving in head first, Inman spent her time researching and learning how to fundraise to make the organization successful. SupportAbility became her full-time job, from fundraising to marketing and helping to spread the word, Inman found herself pouring everything she had into her organization.
As her organization began to grow, Inman found herself surrounded by support. Her family lawyer, who was raising a disabled child of his own, offered to help in any way he could. He helped her complete the paperwork to be a 501-c3 organization, bringing her lifelong dream to fruition.
“I was so excited. What made it even more worth it was that the people who cared about me stuck by me through this entire process,” Inman said.
But Inman’s excitement sometimes got the best of her.
“I struggled with keeping my patience. I was so eager to get the ball rolling and make a difference. Luckily, my dad was able to keep me on track and help me navigate the challenges,” Inman says.
Inman continued to work hard and fight for her dreams. Now, 24 years later, SupportAbility has awarded over $50,000 in scholarships annually, recognizing and uplifting students in Orange County, California.
​
Today, the friends and family who helped her recover over 40 years ago, are now members of the organization's board. The Orange County School System even connects her with counselors in the district to share the scholarship with qualifying students.
With the support of those around her, Inman and SupportAbility reward almost 60 kids every school year for their resilience and tenacity in overcoming challenges.
​
Students like Kendall McAllister, a senior marketing major at High Point University, say that this award helped make her college experience possible.
“SupportAbility has done so much for me,” said McAllister, “The award is more than just money to put into an account for school, it’s a reminder of the hard work I went through to get here. Life will always throw challenges at you, but what matters is how you persevere through them.”
As a grassroots organization, Inman says that most of the fundraising is done through the generosity of others.
“We are fortunate and blessed that almost all of our scholarships are awarded through donations,” said Inman, “There is so much good in the world, and these kids who have been through so much deserve to see that.”
SupportAbility strives to maintain lasting relationships and have a positive impact on all the students awarded scholarships.
From yearly receptions, events and even book funds to help students who stay in school afford their textbooks, Inman wants to continue to serve the students SupportAbility reaches.
“It’s the most rewarding thing when students send me letters about what they are doing,” said Inman, “It touches my heart knowing that I was able to make an impact on them and support them through their education. I always want to help the students succeed and have the same level of support I did.”
​
Challenges and hardships are always a part of life, but that doesn’t mean your life is put to a halt. No matter your struggle or obstacle, Inman is making it known that you can do anything.
“I hope this organization continues to grow and that we can reward more students for their courage,” says Inman.
Inman hopes that one day in the future, a recipient will take the reins of SupportAbility and carry on the legacy she and her father started.
“It’s been just amazing to watch this grow into what it is today,” Inman says, “I had no idea we would do as well as we did. All of the success and support reminds me of how important it was to keep fighting for this and not to let the bad slopes get you down.”