After an injury changed the course of his life, Andrew Lawlor found new challenges through para-boxing and wheelchair rugby. As he began competing for Team New Brunswick on the national stage, he realized he had the motivation to work hard but needed help focusing that energy in the right places. When he started training at the Fredericton YMCA, Lauren never seemed intimidated by his disability. “We talked about goals and things I wanted to accomplish, and I always felt like I was treated like an athlete, not a disabled athlete,” he says. Together, they challenged limitations Andrew had accepted for years. “Can’t was a word that was prominent in my vocabulary for some time. Lauren never really accepted can’t and pushed me to think about there’s a way. And we found a way.” With adaptations and encouragement, Andrew returned to exercises like bench press and deadlifts that he never thought would be possible again.

The impact extended far beyond the gym floor. Since beginning personal training, Andrew has competed at three national championships in wheelchair rugby, including helping Team New Brunswick reach the Tier 1 bronze medal game. “Little New Brunswick got to the top four,” he said proudly. For Andrew, the biggest difference was having someone believe in him. “It wasn’t that I needed a push. I needed someone to believe in me, and there’s nothing more energizing than someone else believing in you when you don’t even believe in yourself in that moment.”

Today, Andrew describes the YMCA with three words: inclusivity, accountability, and opportunity. From staff members who adapted equipment and created an accessible training environment to members who check in when he’s away, he says the YMCA is a place where everyone belongs. “Inclusive of lifestyle, ability, financial status, physical status – a place where you can just be yourself.” He also values the sense of community throughout the wellness floor. “Every story up on that floor is inspiring. Everyone is fighting a battle of some sort.” For Andrew, the YMCA is more than a gym. “This is the place for me.”