Larry's Story

Larry Goldstein is a former marathoner, triathlete and race director for the Honolulu Marathon. Due to a condition called multiple system atrophy - cerebellar subtype, or MSA-C, a rare degenerative condition that progressively impairs a person’s walking and balance, Larry was unable to run and desperately missed the excitement of the start line.

The Select Physical Therapy team at our Kissimmee center had an interesting proposal for Larry. Physical Therapists Kimberly Albig and Rose Babcock understood what Larry loved and missed as they are both seasoned marathoners themselves, so they challenged him to complete a local 5K race and embrace that race day feeling again. He accepted and, together, they mapped out a physical therapy program designed to get him back to the race.

Larry worked hard at reaching his program goals. He focused on building muscular and walking endurance. His efforts even served to inspire other patients including Kissimmee Firefighter Michael Kane. Michael was working on knee motion and strengthening after a total knee replacement. The pair bonded over military stories while working to reach their goals.

Mike, Kim, Rose and Larry’s neighbor, Dan, came out to support Larry as he achieved his goal of completing the 5K. Larry’s story also caught the eye of the race director, who awarded him a special achievement award during the awards ceremony.

Congratulations, Larry, on finishing the race strong, and thank you for choosing us on your rehabilitation journey.