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Sometimes service begins with someone showing us what is still possible.
Gloria Suarez is the founder of Bee Abled, a Houston-area nonprofit creating free, accessible opportunities for people with disabilities through adaptive sports, races and community activities.
But Bee Abled didn’t begin with sports.
It began with Gloria’s own story.
On February 16, 2015, Gloria’s life changed when surgery to remove a spinal tumor resulted in a spinal cord injury and left her using a wheelchair.
The years that followed were incredibly difficult. Gloria was a single mom trying to rebuild her life while learning how to navigate a world that suddenly looked very different.
“My daughter has always been my strength, the reason I kept moving forward even when everything felt unbearably heavy,” said Gloria.
During that time, Gloria’s friend Priscilla reminded her that while she would always be there to listen, Gloria also needed to find people who understood what she was experiencing.
Then her friend Juan introduced her to the adaptive community.
Gloria had told him she wished she could do a marathon but believed she never could because she was in a wheelchair.
He showed her otherwise.
Sometimes one person showing us what is possible changes everything.
Gloria eventually became deeply involved in the adaptive community, finding purpose, belonging and people who felt like family. And eventually, she began creating that same kind of place for others.
But there is another beautiful piece to the story of Bee Abled. Gloria’s mom.
Her family lovingly called her “Bee.” She lived with Parkinson’s and was a woman of deep faith who taught Gloria to give back, serve and love people well. She loved honey, flowers and bright colors. Gloria describes her as bold, sweet and unforgettable.
Gloria lost her mom on September 17, 2021.
One year later, on September 17, 2022, she officially announced Bee Abled.
She wanted September 17 to become a happy day again.
She shared, “I wanted to continue building the kind of space I needed during my own recovery: a place where people with disabilities could move, connect, and feel seen.”
And that is exactly what she began to build.
The name Bee Abled carries her mom’s legacy with it. For Gloria, the bee became a symbol of doing what others say shouldn’t be possible.
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