Ella – Amputee Thriver

«« Please drag the arrows to see before & after underwater transformation »»

My name is Ella Rae Rodriguez, and I grew up in Gilroy, California.

I was born with a birth defect called fibular hemimelia and a clubbed foot. We tried casting to get it straight, but after 9 months and many doctors’ consultations, my foot was amputated below the knee.

When I was 9 years old, I wrote a letter to Santa asking for a “friend like me,” and my parents panicked and posted it on Facebook, and it caught the attention of a local basketball program in San Jose. My parents and I did one practice with them, and after the coach said, “She needs to play competitively,” he referred us to a program in Berkeley called BORP that had a wheelchair basketball team.

That’s where I met Garnett and my other teammates, with whom I’d form strong connections. I attended my first few developmental Team USA camps and learned that I could really go far with this sport. After practicing with them for years, I was recruited by the University of Arizona, and the rest was history. Since then, I have been to many USA tryout camps.

I heard about the Underwater Transformation Project from Garnett, and his excitement intrigued me. Garnett and I have been friends for a long time, and when he said he had been contacted by Erena, we were both excited. I asked him, though, “G, you hate the water, are you sure you want to do this?” and he said, “Yeah, that’s why you’re coming with me.” We had been excited about the opportunity since.

My goal for the photoshoot was to be comfortable in an uncomfortable environment. I love the water, but to be in the water, I have to take my prosthetic off, and not only is it physically sensitive, but it’s also sometimes an insecurity of mine to showcase it front and center. However, I felt that the underwater was such a unique opportunity to showcase all of me at my most vulnerable form while also showcasing my achievements through wearing my basketball jersey and a graduation gown, which I would consider as more of the side of myself I like to show more.

Erena was so amazing and made this seemingly uncomfortable experience so comfortable and even healing. I got the added benefit of doing this with my best friend.

After I finished, I was so excited to see the results, and I felt very grateful to have this experience.

Water, in its most basic sense, is a need; every living thing needs it. Therefore, I see it as a connector of life and a representation of life itself. Whether it be the push and pull of the waves, water in our bodies connecting the space, or water in a pool, water represents fluidity and change.

I believe this experience is amazing for people with disabilities and is a very vulnerable way to showcase ourselves and embrace our insecurities.

I would most definitely do this again, and I would do an updated photo in my Master’s hood and gown, but also in a Team USA jersey.

Erena was amazing, so patient, and so kind. You took care of everything and were very organized. Amazing to work with no notes!

My dream is to make a Team USA Wheelchair Basketball Team, get my master’s, and go into industry work in biotech or pharmaceuticals.