CREATING THE PERFECT LIFE...
Hellooooooo to Everyone Out There in the YOOOCAN World, Please allow me to introduce myself... I'm Angela Rockwood and I'm currently living in the City of Angels but I have experienced the world growing up as the child of a career military man of the Air Force. I began modeling at the age of 17 to save up for medical school. Before I turned 21 I left the modeling world, becoming a fitness instructor, which later led me into the world of martial arts. At 22 I relocated to Los Angeles, and within a year was engaged to my best friend. We bought a house and I fell back into the entertainment world signing a contract with a modeling agency and launching an acting career, with small roles in ''The Fast and the Furious'' and the T.V. show ''V.I.P.'' with Pamela Anderson.
A ''PREMONITION'' BECOMES REALITY...
My life was practically perfect until turmoil struck one week before 9/11 on September 3, 2001. I was returning home from a trip in San Francisco of planning my wedding with two of my bridesmaids when my girlfriend spun out of control. I was in the backseat and was thrown 30 ft. out of the side-rear triangular window landing on the side of the road. (At the age of 17, I remember having a premonition I would be involved in a horrific car accident.) When I awoke in the hospital, I looked up at the ceiling and it felt like ''De-ja-vu'', as if I had been there before. The first thought that came to my mind, ''I was ALIVE.'' The second thought, ''I KNEW it was for a REASON and I had a new mission to fulfill within my life.'' In fact, I had a clear picture of what was in store that I asked my father to sit by my bedside to write word for word my vision and I can tell you I'm living it till this day.
PICKING A POSITIVE PATH...
When the Dr. came to me, my x-husband and my dad he told us I had 3 to 5% of feeling or moving from the neck down and I was classified as a C-4 Quadriplegic. I was now transported into the realm of the paralyzed, but it didn't hinder my indomitable spirit because I was grateful to be Alive. Instantly I knew I had to make a decision, to either go down a negative path or to take a catastrophic position and turn it around in the most profound and positive way. I felt I could be a powerful voice and advocate for those in similar situations. I did exactly that by picking up my life, pushing forward towards my vision and never looking back. Two months after being in the rehab facility, Entertainment Tonight did a segment on me about the ''Power of the Mind''.
Finding ''Balance'' in A Paralyzed Vessel...
Before my injury I was an athlete, runner, martial artist, an all around adrenaline junkie who loved racing motorcycles and a firm believer in alternative methods of healing that I didn’t accept my doctor’s prognosis. I understood the importance of mind, body and spirit being in harmony to execute a productive balanced life. The first 3 years of my paralysis, I did anything and everything to ''reconnect'' with my new vessel on a physical level. Paralyzed from the neck down, unable to move like before I was able to lose 65pds. through changing my eating habits and speeding my metabolism up. In 2003, I was the third American to undergo a pioneering stem cell surgery in Portugal, which allowed me to go from a power chair into a manual wheelchair. Although I'm unable to move my fingers fully, I can feed myself, paint, train in martial arts and apply my own makeup.
''If You Can't Stand Up, you betta Stand Out!''
In 2004, I decided to merge myself into the community and back into the real world. I became a proud Ambassador of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation representing and assisting in their outreach program. Unbeknownst to me, I didn't realize you can be in a wheelchair and still be in the entertainment world as a P.W.D. (Performers with Disabilities). I decided to energize my career becoming a spokes model for Ti-Lite Wheelchairs and modeling for companies such as Target, Nordstrom and Toyota. I was the first Quadriplegic to land a national campaign for Nordstrom that went viral on the internet. Later I landed three national commercials for AARP, Mabelline, and Sony. I was also featured in CinemAbility, a documentary directed by Jenni Gold, which includes Ben Affleck, Jaime Foxx, and Jane Seymour. After 7 years of sitting around for wheelchair roles to roll in my tenacious attitude and purposeful personality was NOT going to let me stop. With my ultimate mission of pushing boundaries, I created, produced and starred in the Sundance Channel's, ‘’Critic’s Choice Awards’’, Best Reality series ''Push Girls''. It was to convey, that no matter what catastrophic event happens in life, ''You Can Push through IT & LIVE to the Fullest.'' The exposure of Push Girls gave me the opportunity to share my message with tv appearances on Ellen, Jeff Probst Show, Marie Osmond, Access Hollywood, Inside Edition, Good Day LA, Extra, Huffington Post Live, Kcal 9, Katie Couric Show, Good Morning America, and a return segment on Entertainment Tonight with my girls. We even had an appearance at The White House!
That Powerful ''Essence'' from Within
I continue to fulfill my post-accident vision by sharing my own experience with hopes of creating a change within others that reignites the human will as a Life Coach and Speaker. I'm passionately relentless in manifesting change and implementing ideas through my teaching in my ''Manifestation Classes''. I have taught my classes at the Joey Travolta Theatre and the Performing Arts Studio West through Meet the Biz Workshops. As an innovator I've successfully spoken about '‘Living to the Fullest’' at Rancho Amigos Hospital, L.A. Rescue Mission Assembly, and Edwards Air Force Base. I've shared my secrets of ‘'The Beauty from Within'’ for the Miss Global Organization of 2013 & 2014. A group of 4,000 Paul Mitchell students in Las Vegas, and the California Association of Realtors were the recipients of a topic close to my heart; ‘'Pushing the Limits'’. I'm an Ambassador and one of the board members of a sensational organization called Global Mobility bringing wheelchairs all over the world to third world countries. Most recently I was chosen by Brig Gen. Michael Brewer of the 412th Test Wing Commander to be the 2015 & 2016 Honorary Commander for Edwards Air Force Base and spoke about ''RESILIENCE'' to the military base.
''Don't just Sit there, Be A #RollingEmpire!''
Today I'm engaged to my soul partner Steven Profeta and live with my lil' baby Yorkie Kenzo until we decide to have children in a year or two. I have recently began modeling since I took a break 4 years ago while shooting ''Push Girls'' because the media needs to realize that beauty comes in ALL shapes, sizes, color, age and in EVERY vessel. WE are the consumers and it's important we #RebrandDisability in a powerful way. I'm also working on a clothing line that will launch next year. In the meantime, I'm producing different projects, acting, speaking, and having fun with my YOUTUBE channel, ''The #RollingEmpire'' (https://www.youtube.com/user/angelarockwood) because like a bulldozer YOOCAN roll over ANY obstacle while Building your Empire! I share all of this not to Impress but to Impact Others that regardless of any circumstances, obstacles or issues in life, ''YOOCAN Push Limits!'' For me who is paralyzed from the neck down, ''Where there is A Wheel, THERE IS A Way!'' ''I am inspired by my grand purpose, deep within my core I carry this mantra daily: "Life is a Gift and what we do with our Life is our Gift back to the World, to Others, and to Ourselves." YOOOCAN DO ANYTHING that YOU BELIEVE IN... Let NOTHING Stop You. ''BE UNSTOPPABLE NO MATTER WHAT!'' Peace & Compassion, Angela www.AngelaRockwood.com
