The United Rocks climbing program for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities has expanded to eight states.
PLANO, Texas — A nonprofit climbing program for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities has grown from its home in Plano to more than a dozen locations across eight states — helping dozens of climbers reach new heights.
“It just exploded,” said Mariana Steelsmith, co-founder of United Rocks. She founded the program for people of all ages; the oldest climber is 53, she said.
Steelsmith said the goal is a space without judgment. “There’s space that they can just come in as they are and just be there, and nobody’s gonna look around and look at you different. Everybody’s welcome, basically,” she said.
For 12-year-old Jason Hernandez, the climbing program has been part of a long recovery.
Doctors at Scottish Rite for Children diagnosed Jason with a rare autoimmune disease that causes his body to attack its own muscles. Two years ago, his heart shut down.
“They performed CPR on him for 38 minutes,” his mother, Madison Hernandez, said. Jason spent a week on a machine that breathed for him and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He had to relearn how to walk.
“I was in the hospital for like 111 days and it was hard. And it was sad too,” Jason said.
Hernandez said he began climbing at the end of May. He was not eager at first. “I didn’t really want to go that day but my mom made me go and now I love it,” Jason said. He said it helps his muscles get stronger and that finishing a hard climb brings “a happy feeling.”
His mother said the change has been significant. “Jason, his confidence has gone just through the roof,” she said. She also said he is more engaged in conversation with others.
Program volunteers provide support and instruction to him and the other climbers, but it’s up to them to move hand over hand up the wall.
Steelsmith said the growth is visible. “Seeing them again after two to three months, it just blows my mind. It’s like someone’s confidence blew up,” she said. She said some climbers now greet their friends when they previously were not making eye contact.
“Super rewarding, super proud of what we have created,” Steelsmith said.
Hernandez said the sport has become a lesson for the whole family. “Make it to the next hold and then the next one and then eventually you finish the climb, because you stuck with yourself,” she said.
It’s a reminder of how far Jason has come — and given them motivation for the climb he still faces ahead.
“We have movement, we have life, we have hope,” she said.