Meet Adaptive Athlete: Brannon Thomas

Brannon grew up immersed in sports - playing, watching, and coaching soccer and basketball, along with swimming, bodyboarding, and snowboarding. A collegiate soccer player and later a coach, he thrived on competition, movement, and challenge.

 

In 2003, Brannon was diagnosed with recurrent brain cancer, undergoing years of treatment that eventually led to two ischemic strokes, the first in 2012, which primarily affected his memory, and the second in 2014, which caused paralysis on his left side and serious vision impairment. Recovery has been long and arduous, including multiple stints at the Shepherd Center and continuous therapy. He credits his faith, determination, and counseling for helping him push forward despite the setbacks.

 

Since 2021, Brannon has trained at Kaizen, steadily rebuilding strength and regaining independence. He no longer requires an AFO, though he continues to manage paralysis in his left arm and some foot drop. For Brannon, recovery is a marathon, not a sprint, and he continues to lean on his resilience and type-A spirit - the same drive that once led him to run marathons while undergoing chemotherapy.

 

Through his time with ATF, Brannon hopes to further improve his mobility, regain aerobic capacity, and continue building toward greater independence.

 

Kaizen Adaptive Training