In early 2022 Anneliese Williams tested positive for COVID which then triggered Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological autoimmune disease. At the peak of her syndrome she was paralysed from her chest to her toes. Her survival was dependent on breathing and feeding tubes. When she progressed and was preparing for release from the hospital Williams, a lifelong athlete, was introduced to wheelchair basketball. She had a glimpse into how she could carry on the active life she had lived prior to her diagnosis.

Williams exercises on the erg machine during a private CrossFit session at PUSH511 gym in Baltimore, Md., on July 13, 2023.

Williams was first introduced to adaptive athletics in the rehab hospital in 2022. “It felt almost like I could breathe again because I had just lost my whole sense of self,” she said. Her mindset of being trapped in her own body began to shift to “life is possible given my limitations.” However, this was challenged when she left the hospital and was met with few adaptive athletic opportunities in her hometown and a lot of inaccessibility in general. Yearning for a change she moved to Maryland for a summer to live with friends and explore adaptive athletic opportunities.

Bill Wagner, Anneliese Williams and instructor Kevin Carlson engage in a group adaptive CrossFit session at PUSH511 in Baltimore, Md., on July 6, 2023.

Williams attended CrossFit sessions at PUSH511 multiple times a week throughout the summer. “Finding the wealth of opportunities here and how inviting and welcoming the [adaptive sports] community has been, has been really affirming and allowed me to become a little more confident in a lot of ways,” Williams said.

Anneliese Williams fills her pill organizer for the week with her morning pills at home on July 11, 2023.
Managing the symptoms of a rare disease can be taxing, but Williams has found pill organizers simplify the everyday tasks she needs to follow to manage her health.

Williams receives a new customized wheelchair in her home on July 14.
Accessibility issues plague many aspects of Williams’ life, including traveling. When an airline damaged her wheelchair, she was forced to sit for hours before a loaner chair was made available to her. She then had to wait multiple weeks before a new chair with her proper measurements could be delivered to her.

Anneliese Williams is wheeled through the halls of Johns Hopkins Hospital on Orleans St. after experiencing difficulty breathing and muscle droopiness in her face on July 25, 2023.
Williams' active summer was put on hold by her hospitalization. The hospital stay was a rollercoaster of ups and downs, waiting for tests and constant changes in what medication Williams could be given to ease her pain.

Annie Brandicourt, a friend of Williams, runs down the hospital halls pushing Williams on July 24, 2023. This tradition the friends have formed is a highlight during hospital stays. “It brings a lot of joy because it's exhilarating,” Williams said. The joy is not only felt by Brandicourt and Williams but all the onlooking nurses who smile, feeling Williams contagious positivity even during moments that challenge her.

Anneliese Williams clutches her stuffed rabbit she lovingly calls 'Flop' while she rests in the hospital on July 24, 2023.
Williams' family was hundreds of miles away, and her friends were not able to visit everyday during her hospital stay, pushing her to navigate the confusing time on her own. She endured many sleepless nights and sought comfort from her childhood toy.

Annie Brandicourt brushes Williams' hair when she visits her in the hospital on July 24, 2023.
Williams learned during her multiple month-long hospital stay in 2022 that following a daily routine can help offer a semblance of normalcy. Without a routine these long hospital stays are an "abyss of time," she said. “There became no real distinction between day and night."

Annie Brandicourt carries Williams back into their home they shared for the summer in Essex, Md., on July 30, 2023.
Williams was excited to be around her pets again and recover in a place of comfort.

Anneliese Williams tries out her new basketball wheelchair she received through a scholarship on Aug 1, 2023.
Returning to adaptive athletics was at the forefront of Williams’ mind, even when she was struggling to breath laying in a hospital bed. “Sports are one of the times when I really, truly don’t think about my disability, because adaptive sports are not really about your disability,” she said. “They are designed in such a way that you’re not thinking about what you can’t do and instead thinking about what you can do.”

Kevin Carlson holds Anneliese Williams steady as she pushes herself during her final CrossFit session in Maryland for the summer on Aug 3, 2023.
After her hospital stay interrupted her active routine, she vowed to spend her final week in Maryland being as active as possible.

Anneliese Williams dreams up new ways she hopes to utilize the PUSH511 space to continue challenging herself in her CrossFit journey during a break between sets on July 13, 2023.
Williams exudes positive energy during every session at PUSH511. Her dancing in between sets to Taylor Swift music and relentless passion for being active brings a smile to those around her.