(REDONDO BEACH – July 18, 2012)  Talk about inspiration, this week our luncheon speaker was a young man whose determination is prompting him to change the world in a way few of us can appreciate.

A decade ago, Janne Kouri, a native of Finland, was a 6-foot-4-inch 283 pound defensive tackle at Georgetown University.  Following graduation Janne was employed as a director of digital entertainment in southern California.

On August 5^th, 2006, following a day of volleyball on the beach Janne decided to cool off and dove into the surf in Manhattan Beach.  He floated to the surface a changed man.  A passing EMT saw him bobbing in the water and pulled him to safety.   But it would be to a different life, he told us, for he’d hit a sandbar and now faced the future paralyzed from the neck down.

Once accustomed to the shock of this life-changing event, Janne's wife took him to the Frazier Rehab center in Kentucky and in the care of Dr. Susan Harkema. There, following three months in rehab the “first movement came,” he recalled during his luncheon speech to our Rotary Club.  But to his chagrin he discovered that “insurance only paid for 36 days of rehab.” That realization coupled with the discipline he's learned as a football player spurred him to found NextStep for Fitness, a 501(c (3) non-profit foundation that offers training to people with paralysis and other debilitating injuries.  Now, NextStep is located in Redondo Beach at the corner of Artesia and Redondo Beach Blvd. in a 3800 sq. ft. facility.

Since launching NextStep in June 2008, the facility has grown to five full-time trainers, numerous volunteers, and a staff director – Janne. “We’ve served over 150 people,” he said.  “Right now we have about 45 patients. We reach out to all groups in the community including MS patients, stroke patients, leukemia patients, spinal cord injuries and more.  We only charge our patients about 30% to 40% of the actual cost and rely on donations to cover the rest. It costs about $500,000 a year to keep the doors open so we do a lot of fundraising.  ”

Janne continues to pursue his interest in the digital environment, utilizing his skills in social networking to raise funds for NextStep. His goal is to take the concept of a community rehab facility nationwide.   Now, six years after his accident he can stand without support and walk 100 feet with the aid of a walker. Contact NextStep at www.nextstepfitness.org.