Meet Rebecca

Rebecca Levenberg is a teacher, writer, speaker, peer mentor, and adaptive traveler.

In November 2010, while bicycling to work, Rebecca was struck by a garbage truck in a Philadelphia bike lane.  The truck crushed her left leg and caused other life-threatening injuries.  She was wearing a helmet and sustained no head injury.

Rebecca was rescued by paramedics and transported to the nearest Level 1 trauma center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  Trauma surgeons saved her life, but they had to amputate her left leg to do so.

She is now a transfemoral (above-knee) amputee who walks with a prosthesis.

Shortly after the accident, Rebecca received a necklace from her aunt and uncle, inscribed with this quote:

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

It inspired her to set a goal:  to walk 1,000 miles on her prosthetic leg.

That journey inspired this blog.

Today, Rebecca writes about ability and disability, amputation and prosthetics, rehabilitation and resilience, and adaptive travel.  

She serves as a peer mentor for new amputees and enjoys paraclimbing. 

Rebecca shares her survivor story at conferences, Grand Rounds, medical school classes, and physical therapy programs.  She presents trauma from a patient and family perspective, focusing on the human side of health care. 

Rebecca educates disablity groups about adaptive travel, learning about ourselves as travelers, and incorporating "micro-travel" experiences into our everyday lives.

She also speaks with school groups about prosthetics, goal-setting, disability, and -- of course -- wearing bike helmets!

Sometimes they walk a mile with her too!

Rebecca has written for Amplitude, In Motion, and The Sun magazines.  She studied at the Paris Writing Workshop with travel writer Rolf Potts, and appeared on Disability Pride PA's podcast, "Living Loud and Proud" to discuss adaptive travel.  (See Articles and Links for more.)

Rebecca is a graduate of Northwestern University, with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and M.A. in Learning Disabilities.  

After 20 years teaching special education, she now coordinates the amputation support program at Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation, Center City in Philadelphia. 

Click to see a sampling of Rebecca's writing and events.