A life-altering rideshare crash left 20-year-old Eugenia Paris paralyzed from the waist down last year. But the South Florida college student hasn’t stopped moving forward.
A life-altering rideshare crash left 20-year-old Eugenia Paris paralyzed from the waist down last year. But the South Florida college student hasn’t stopped moving forward.
Now, the University of Miami student is taking on a new challenge, with her sights set on the New York City Marathon.
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WATCH HERE“The day before my accident, I started training for a half marathon that I was going to run,” Paris told NBC6.
That was in June 2025, just one day before Paris’ life changed in a devastating rideshare crash involving her sister. Paris had to be airlifted from the crash site and spent six days in intensive care. She sustained a spinal cord injury that left her paraplegic and unable to walk.
“At first I was in denial about a lot of things, and I really didn't want to try in my therapies and my occupational therapies because I was like, there's no point to this,” Paris said. “I was just upset.”
Paris spent more than five weeks in the hospital and at Lynn Rehabilitation Center, learning how to navigate life in a wheelchair.
“When I was in the hospital, they had told me, ‘You're going to rehab. You're going to rehab.’ I didn't know exactly what that meant,” she said.
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Today, that same rehabilitation center is where Paris continues to rebuild her strength, from Pilates to pull-ups, and pursue the goals she had before the crash.
Ashley Herrera, a recreational therapist who works with Paris, said adaptive sports can play an important role in the recovery process.
“I think that it's so beneficial to these patients, specifically this population as well,” Herrera said. “It provides an opportunity to move your body, to continue working on your physical health, but also it provides an opportunity to meet people.”
Knowing Paris had been a running enthusiast before her accident, Herrera encouraged her to consider hand cycling in the New York City Marathon.
Paris’ progress also extends far beyond the gym.
She has returned to the University of Miami, where she is studying marketing, and now drives herself to campus using hand controls to accelerate and brake.
“She's been one of those patients that you know is willing to try everything, confident in what she does, and just all around amazing at what she does,” Herrera said.
For Paris, the progress has taken time.
“It definitely has not been easy, and I feel like I've come such a long way for sure,” she said.
Now, the marathon represents another milestone and a chance to challenge herself.
“I feel like a marathon would be a good place to be able to compete, but also not super competitively,” Paris said. “I'm competing with myself. I just want to finish it and do this for myself.”
In doing it for herself, Paris hopes her journey can also show others that even after a life-changing setback, there can still be a path forward.
“At the end of the day, even when I didn't want to do things, I still said yes to everything,” she said. “I know I'm in a position right now where I know I'm not gonna want to do anything, but the only way to get through this is to keep moving forward.”
The New York City Marathon is Nov. 1.
