Chapter Milestones: Connecticut

In 1976, Achilles International’s late founder Dick Traum made history as the first person with a prosthetic leg to complete the New York City Marathon, helping spark a movement that continues to redefine what’s possible for athletes with disabilities around the world.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of that historic finish, we’re celebrating the people, moments and milestones that have shaped Achilles along the way. Today, that movement spans 62 chapters worldwide, each with its own story to tell.

We asked members of the Achilles Connecticut community to reflect on the moments that have defined their chapter, the milestones they've celebrated, and what Achilles means to them. Read Chapter Leader Erin Spaulding's reflection below.

Erin Spaulding, Chapter Leader, Achilles Connecticut

My Achilles journey began in June 2012 at the Achilles Hope & Possibility. race.

Two years earlier, I had experienced a traumatic brain injury that left me with permanent visual, cognitive and vestibular issues. As a lifelong multi-sport athlete, being active had always been an important part of who I was. After my injury, Achilles helped me feel like "me" again.

I found a community that accepted and supported me while helping me learn new ways to participate. I first adapted my walking, and eventually, I began running again.

Then came the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January 2013.

At the time of my accident in 2010, I had been training for a half marathon, so reaching that finish line carried a significance that went far beyond completing 13.1 miles. I participated as an Achilles athlete and as part of Cigna's GO YOU! national campaign, crossing the finish line with my two guides side-by-side.

That moment ignited something in me.

At the time, the Connecticut Chapter was very small and hadn't been particularly active for a few years. On the van ride to the airport after the race, Janet Patton enthusiastically encouraged me to take over leadership of the chapter.

A month later, in February 2013, I signed what was then called the Chapter Charter and officially stepped into the role.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

When I took over, Achilles Connecticut had just six athletes, including me, and about a dozen guides. Within a year, the chapter had experienced so much growth that I joined the Achilles staff as a part-time Chapter Leader.

Over the past 13 years, I've had the privilege of watching that small community grow into what Achilles Connecticut is today. We are recognized throughout the state as a leading adaptive walking, running, rolling and cycling organization. That impact can be seen in the referrals we receive, the invitations to participate in community events and the opportunities we've had to present, speak and serve on boards supporting Connecticut's disability community.

One of the clearest examples of that growth can be seen at the Ion Bank Cheshire Half Marathon & 5K.

In April 2013, we participated with just three athletes, three guides and me as Chapter President. On April 12, 2026, we returned for our 13th year at the event with our largest team yet. Thirty members participated in the 5K and another 15 took on the half marathon. With four staff members and our race-day volunteers, 56 members of the Achilles Connecticut community were there in total.

Seeing that group together captured the growth and long-term success of our chapter perfectly.

Another photo that means a great deal to me is one of the first I inherited when I took over the chapter. It shows former Chapter President Tony Allegretti alongside David Alejandro, an Achilles athlete who remains active with us today, and Achilles founder Dick Traum at the Hope & Possibility race.

For me, that photo represents the history behind everything we've built. People have come and gone, leadership has evolved and the chapter has grown tremendously, but the connections that make Achilles special continue from one generation of the community to the next.

That's what makes me proudest.

It's not simply how much Achilles Connecticut has grown. It's the community we've built together, both here in Connecticut and across the entire Achilles organization. Athletes, guides, volunteers and supporters have created something that extends far beyond any single training session or finish line.

Leading that community for more than a decade has also taught me to expect the unexpected. Don't just have a Plan A and Plan B. Have multiple contingency plans ready to go, because things rarely unfold exactly as expected.

In many ways, that's also what my own Achilles journey has been about.

When I arrived at Hope & Possibility in 2012, I was learning how to adapt to a life I hadn't planned for. Achilles gave me the support and community to start moving forward again.

I couldn't have known then that less than a year later I'd be leading a chapter, or that the small group of six athletes I joined would grow into the community we have today.

What I did know was that Achilles made me feel like myself again.

More than a decade later, I'm proud that Achilles Connecticut continues to give others that same opportunity: a place to find support, challenge themselves, build connections and discover what comes next.