A diving accident changed the trajectory of Mark Raymond Jr.’s life and put him on the path to opening the Split 2nd Foundation, the first Black-owned adaptive fitness gym in Louisiana for individuals with disabilities.
Everything about Raymond’s life changed in July 2016, at just 27 years old, when he slipped off a friend’s boat during Fourth of July weekend. He hit his forehead and fractured a vertebra, causing a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the chest down. He’s still recovering 10 years later. Some of the challenges he has experienced include navigating a complex healthcare system. His challenges opened his perspective to the lack of continuum care for people with spinal cord injuries, stroke patients, and others with neurological conditions, particularly for those with disabilities and aging communities.
“There was a lack of supportive services and resources to help live a high-quality life, so we opened the fitness center in 2021 that focuses on the disability community,” Raymond told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“We focus on physical, mental, social, and financial health: four pillars we feel we could best support the whole person.”Mark Raymond Jr. On A Mission To Improve Health Outcomes
Research from the American Council On Exercise found that more than 80% of individuals with a disability do not feel welcome in traditional fitness spaces. More than 90% do not believe that exercise professionals can adequately train this population. Without physical fitness, this could lead to increased risks for chronic diseases like diabetes and depression, which could reduce their quality of life.
In his facility, Raymond offers unique programming, including Wash Your Wheels, music therapy groups, adaptive yoga and meditation, adaptive crafting groups, and virtual mindfulness. These services are why people from all over the country visit his facility.
“There’s nothing like this facility between Houston and Atlanta,” Raymond said. “We recently received an economic development project federal grant. We hope to renovate and update the building and expand into other markets.”
In addition to expanding services, Raymond plans to establish a fund to increase access to support for families facing financial burdens. Through the access fund, driven by private and small donations, Raymond said it would provide a 75% subsidy for families.
“Everything is more expensive with our population. My wheelchair, for example, cost $50,000,” he said.
When you ask Raymond why, he will tell you that helping the most vulnerable communities has been embedded in his DNA. His great-grandfather was legendary civil rights attorney Alexander Pierre “A.P.” Tureaud, Sr. Tureaud was once the only Black practicing attorney in Louisiana. He attended Howard University to earn his law degree, then returned to New Orleans.
Tureaud fought to successfully desegregate New Orleans public spaces, including schools, parks, streetcars, and more. He also filed the lawsuit that led to the first Black undergraduate enrolling at Louisiana State University, his son, A.P. Tureaud, Jr., in 1953.
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