Together, Cole Syndor and his fiancée Charisma run the YouTube account Role with Cole. With almost 300k followers, they document various issues regarding life with quadriplegia and life as the partner of a person with quadriplegia.
Earlier in the semester they agreed to come to Longwood to share their experiences with TR students in RECR 303, Therapeutic Recreation for Individuals with Physical Disabilities. Despite not being able to visit in person, they didn't want to let that stop them from participating in a conversation with students. On Friday April 3rd, RECR 303 students had an hour-long virtual discussion with Cole and Charisma utilizing zoom technology.
Cole and Charisma were very candid in their discussion, speaking to students about various topics such as sexual functioning, bowel and bladder issues, accessible travel, smart home technologies and other spinal cord injury-related topics that were previously discussed throughout the semester. Cole also talked about the importance of Therapeutic Recreation in his treatment and the value of Therapeutic Recreation services as a in rehabilitation settings. Cole and Charisma live in Hanover, VA and have just bought their first home that they plan to renovate for full accessibility. You can follow along with their journey on their YouTube site Roll With Cole.