A Woman On A Mission

It was a rainy morning on a dark road in Mexico, New Year’s Eve 1995. The Torres family was driving back home to Chicago after a vacation in Mexico when a truck suddenly moved into their lane. The dad, Adam, swerved to avoid the collision; the family van skidded off the road and ended up in a ravine.

Reveca, 13, the oldest of the four kids, tried to get up and help her family but she couldn’t move. Everyone else was okay but she had a fractured spine. She was paralyzed.

After months of rehabilitation, Reveca returned to high school. She didn’t let her injury stop her from going after her dreams. After graduation, she attended college and received a fashion degree.

In 2009, Reveca left her career in fashion design to address a need. She started Backbones, a Chicago-based nonprofit that connects thousands of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) and their families with others to learn, teach and share experiences. The organization also raises awareness about life in a wheelchair.

“I realized the importance of a strong support system after I connected with other people with similar injuries,” Reveca shared. “Those relationships can grow your confidence and motivation; they did for me. And I want others to have that experience through Backbones.”

Reveca took a chance, rejected the status quo and followed her heart. Now her life reflects her passion for helping and empowering others. She is a Dream Achiever.