Tresa Honaker

I am writing you on behalf of my close friend and fellow dancer/aerialist Tresa Honaker. I had the honor of dancing and performing with AirAligned Aerial Dance Group under Tresa’s direction for nearly a decade. On January 11, 2012, Tresa’s ability to walk, let alone dance, came to a halt when she fell 15 feet onto an 8-inch crash mat. Tresa landed head first, severing her spine at T9 and breaking three ribs, resulting in paralysis from the waist down. She has been told she will never walk again.

Ms. Honaker was a lifelong athlete beginning with dance, gymnastics and diving as a youth. She returned to dance as an adult and became an accomplished performer and a dance educator. Tresa passionately pursued the study of aerial circus arts and then formed and trained her own aerial dance company called AirAligned. She has since influenced and inspired children and adults in our community to become their personal best through dance.

Since the accident, Tresa has dedicated herself to her rehabilitation and has made considerable progress. Unfortunately, proper care requires traveling a considerable distance in order to obtain specialized physical therapy that is not covered by MediCal. On Social Security, Ms. Honaker barely makes enough to meet her daily living expenses. Fees for her injury-related needs such as home health care; rehab and recommended specialized equipment to prevent muscle atrophy are not being met. To help with the cost of these uninsured expenses and recovery-based therapies a fundraising campaign in Tresa’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30 years. In 2000, they expanded their mission to include those who have sustained a catastrophic injury. All contributions are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Southwest Spinal Cord Injury Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for injury-related expenses only. Won’t you please consider helping Tresa to gain her independence and support her dream of walking again by contributing to the HelpHOPELive fundraising campaign? Your tax-deductible donation is greatly appreciated.

For credit card contributions, click the “Donate Now” button, or:

Make checks payable to:
HelpHOPELive

Note in memo section:
In honor of Tresa Honaker

Please send to:
HelpHOPELive
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087

Thanks so much for any help that you can give!

Sincerely,

Julie Lang
(Friend and fellow dancer/aerialist)