Fitness studio to hold 24-hour spin marathon for paralyzed teen

A 4S Ranch fitness studio is holding a non-stop 24-hour donation-based spin marathon this weekend to financially help a Mt. Carmel High School junior paralyzed in a vehicle accident last fall.

Studio SWEAT and Studio SWEAT onDemand will hold its inaugural “SWEAT Gives Back” from noon Saturday through noon Sunday in its studio at 10806 Willow Court, Suite 2 in 4S Ranch.

Anyone can participate in the April 28-29 event due to several options. They are:

• Join a spin class at the studio for free, but donations are appreciated, since it has 16 bikes available per hour shift. Reserve a spin session by emailing reservations@studiosweat.com.

• Spin at home while watching the trainers online at studiosweatondemand.com.

• Do a good deed in the community in the name of Isaac Coulapides during the marathon. Suggestions include picking up the groceries for an elderly neighbor or doing a trash clean up in your neighborhood, said Brian LaRose, the studio’s trainer and chief financial officer.

The studio’s goal is to raise $10,000 for the Coulapides family, said LaRose, who will be among those leading the hour-long spin sessions. For six hours overnight he will be leading spin sessions for those around the world who want to join in the effort. The studio has online subscribers in 140 countries, he said. To keep up his energy, LaRose said he plans on having a peanut butter sandwich within arm’s reach of his bike.

As of Tuesday afternoon, $3,025 had been donated to the “SWEAT Gives Back” campaign via a gofundme account. It is at gofundme.com/vavchr-sweat-gives-back.

LaRose said Isaac’s mother, Lisa Coulapides, told him the money will be set aside so Isaac can continue participating in various athletic endeavors, such as surfing, snowboarding and cheerleading. “He wants to keep doing this stuff, but it is more expensive now to keep him active and involved in athletics,” LaRose said.

He recently went surfing for the first time since the accident and has plans to try out for the Mt. Carmel cheer team again.

On Oct. 6, 2017, the then-16-year-old was driving home from a cheerleader dinner following the Poway-Mt. Carmel football game when he reportedly took a turn too quickly while driving along Sabre Springs Parkway and lost control of his 2002 Jeep Cherokee. It crashed into an embankment and two trees. There was no drugs, alcohol or texting involved in the one-vehicle accident.

Per information posted on a fundraising website set up immediately after the accident, Coulapides’ T3 and T4 vertebrae were crushed, his sternum fractured and spinal cord severed, which caused paralysis from the chest down.

“He’s really impressive for a kid his age,” LaRose said. “He was in a hurry to get home to avoid breaking curfew. He’s been very open (about the accident). He’s really inspiring.”

LaRose said the studio learned about the teen from trainer and studio manager, Bethany Murray, who through church has known the Coulapides family for years. LaRose said Murray took the news of Isaac’s accident very hard. “It was so sad for her,” he added.

“You never think this sort of thing could happen to anyone you’re close to, but it does and it can,” said Cat Kom, Studio SWEAT’s founder and head trainer. “We have a mission bigger than fitness and training, and now is our time to share that with Isaac and his family.

“We can’t wait to see what this incredible community can do together to make an impact,” Kom said.

LaRose said the locally-owned studio has never organized such a fundraiser before, but wanted to do it “because we can.” While they considered having participants collect pledges per the spin sessions they complete, they opted instead to “keep it simple” and just ask people to donate if they can, but feel under no obligation to do so, even if spinning at the studio. They came up with the community service component so those unable to make a financial contribution could still participate and do something good in Isaac’s name.

“We want to do this annually, dedicating a weekend to give back to a cause that represents our values and culture,” LaRose said.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com