Everybody will have to deal with difficulty at some point. While many people recover completely, others still need significant time to heal.
Riona Kelly, a 37-year-old mother of four children, went through two extremely tragic experiences in 2015. Her body was hurt by one, but her mind was tormented by the other.
Riona suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed from the waist down, but she wasn’t completely broken by the heartbreaking realization that she would never be able to walk again.
Riona Kelly’s life has been profoundly affected by her stroke that occurred eight years ago.
The mother of four and schoolteacher had to face her biggest challenge after medical professionals warned her that she might not be able to walk again.
In 2017, Riona told The Mirror that her back problems might have been caused by the “car accident she suffered 18 months prior.”
The mother’s determination to get her life in order and support her children ultimately resulted in her going back to work.
She felt let down and abandoned by the man who was meant to support her during her difficult time. After spending only five days in the hospital, her 14-year-old spouse filed for divorce.
Riona lay on her hospital bed, numbed by sadness and wanting to give up. How would she support her four children now that she was unable to look for herself?
“My friend Sarah became my next of kin after my husband abandoned me in the hospital, and she and the kids helped me get better. Although I now realize how sad my marriage was at the time, we had obligations and a life together. In Riona
Ex-husband Richard of Riona says he wanted a divorce the day before Riona had her stroke and became paralyzed from the neck down.
Although Riona’s rehabilitation took a while, the doctors were optimistic that she would eventually be able to use her legs again.
Numerous times she came close to giving up, yet she persisted.
“I hated it and hated myself the first time I went out in a wheelchair because I thought everyone was staring at me.” “I didn’t want to live anymore, so if someone had given me the option, I would have ended my life,” Rona said.
Riona had hundreds of hours of physiotherapy during her arduous rehabilitation process, and her personal trainer during this time was Keith Mason, a former rugby league player and athlete.
They had a great chemistry right away and began hanging out frequently. Riona and Keith grew close as they would often check in to see how she was doing.
Riona started dating after she reached her lowest point and finally developed feelings for one of her therapists. Keith was also well-liked by her kids, who all experienced an uplift when she brought him into the household.
Before being discharged, Riona stayed in the hospital for four months.
With a lot of physical treatment and Keith’s help, she was able to regain some mobility in her legs, but she still requires a wheelchair for longer trips.
After having her stroke, Riona has completed several marathons with the help of Keith and her wheelchair.
Riona is now able to walk normally, however she still regularly uses a customized artificial intelligence frame that she had constructed for her legs.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Riona Kelly and Keith Mason inspired millions of people by sharing updates on her recovery journey on social media.
The mother serves as a source of motivation for perseverance in trying times. The physicians misunderstood her and Keith.
Keith posted a video of the couple on Twitter in 2022 and wrote, “Thank God for inventors, innovation, and visionary’s who created Riona’s bionic legs, which have AI and are the first ever to be made. The thought of us walking hand in hand around the city of York for hours was inconceivable just a few months ago.”
Regretfully, it appears that Riona and Mason’s relationship has worsened.
Mason hasn’t erased any Riona images in 2023, but he hasn’t added any either. Riona appears to have removed her previously active social media accounts, nevertheless.
We hope and pray that they are well enough to move on to better things in the future. We’re glad we could be a part of their great journey together.
Please feel free to SHARE Riona’s story on Facebook with someone you know who may use a little sunshine in their life!
