When he committed to finishing a 5k race less than a year after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, Steve Scott thought he was setting a ridiculous goal—unreasonable even. But now, the wrestling coach from Elkhorn is gearing up to run at the 9th annual Miles for Madonna race on September 28 as the event’s honorary race captain.
“It feels like it’s a great opportunity for me to just bring my community in and show Madonna that they’ve changed my life,” Steve said.
On New Year’s Day 2024, Steve began to feel numbness in his arms and legs. He went to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The disease is believed to have started after Steve came down with a sinus infection and double ear infection. His immune system began to attack his peripheral nervous system. He became very weak, unable to move or speak clearly.
“I’m used to being the caretaker and the patriarch of my family,” Steve said. “I’m the director of a wrestling club and I’m a leader at work at Nebraska Furniture Mart, and having to be somebody that depends on others was very, very hard to compartmentalize and be ok with.”
Steve came to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals on January 3. He felt like he was starting from zero.
“I remember distinctly one of the first therapy sessions I had with Bianka, my occupational therapist, was just stretching,” Steve said. “It was just getting my arms moving so I could stretch out the muscles. It was difficult. It was painful. You start thinking to yourself, ‘Maybe this is where I’m at the rest of my life.’ You start really thinking the worst but hoping for the best.”
Supported by both his family and his care team, Steve began to see positive results. He regained strength and coordination through hours of intense daily therapy sessions. Within a week, he transitioned from needing a wheelchair to walking to the therapy gym.
“I started to think, ‘Ok, I’m in the right place, and I’m going to do everything I possibly can to get back to not just life as it was, but a higher version of that,’” Steve said.
A former wrestler and current wrestling coach, Steve jokes his care team probably got tired of hearing him talk about wrestling. But from those conversations came a new personal challenge.
“While I was at Madonna, I made this, sort of in jest, commitment to wrestle again,” Steve said. “I’m way past my prime, but I wanted to set an example for my two boys, Wyatt and Eastyn, and all the wrestlers that I work with. It’s our motto at our house: no excuses. We don’t let anything keep us down, no matter what, so this was my chance to really show my kids and everybody in my community that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.”
Not only did he agree to wrestle again, but Steve committed to wrestling in the masters division of the US Open wrestling tournament in Las Vegas next year. More than that, he aims to bring home a medal. To get into fighting shape, he joined a CrossFit gym and now tries to run a few miles every week. He’s run a 5k monthly since completing Madonna’s Rehabilitation Day outpatient program in April. Miles 4 Madonna is a perfect way for him to stay in shape while also giving back to the place he says gave him so much.
“I came in a wheelchair and I thought, ‘I’m going to walk out of here,’” Steve said. “Not only did I walk out of Madonna, but Jess, my physical therapist, helped me get to the point where I actually ran on a treadmill, and it felt amazing. That was the first point that I thought to myself I might actually be able to do this 5k in September.”
He jokes he’s hoping to finish with what he calls a ‘respectable time.’ Wrestlers from his club will be walking alongside him, The Best Wrestler, his Nebraska Furniture Mart co-workers, former Madonna patients, staff, families and supporters. Now, he’s calling on you to join them at Miles for Madonna.
“When you sign up, you’re providing not only financial support but support to those that need their community to show them they care,” Steve said. “Signing up and participating in the 5k shows we’re here for those that need it. You don’t realize how badly you need relationships and your community until you go through something as life-changing as somebody has to, to need care at Madonna.”
For more information and to register, please click here. Miles for Madonna is Saturday, September 28, 2024, at Zorinsky Lake – Shelter #5, near 156th and F streets. The Corvette car show starts at 8:30 a.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The 5K walk begins at 9:30 and the 5K run and 1-Mile walk start at 10 a.m. This is a rain-or-shine event. We hope to see you there.