WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, May 18, Georgetown football alum Janne Kouri (B'97) crossed through the main gates of Georgetown's campus, marking the end of his 3,100-mile journey. He had just traveled across the country in his motorized wheelchair, raising awareness and funds for those living with paralysis.
 
A star defensive end at Georgetown from 1993-96 and 2018 Georgetown Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Kouri set the program record for career sacks (31.5), a record that still stands today. In 2006, 10-years following a celebrated collegiate career that saw him named the 1996 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, Kouri suffered an accident that fractured his C5 and C6 vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Following his accident, Kouri founded NextStep Fitness, an internationally recognized non-profit that makes life-changing rehab and fitness accessible and affordable to individuals living with paralysis.
 
Kouri started his journey in Manhattan Beach, California, just a few hundred yards from the site of his accident, on March 10. Friends and family joined him throughout the trip as many former teammates and classmates rode bikes alongside him for a few days at a time. One constant was Georgetown men's lacrosse alum Anderson Bell (B'99), who rode with Kouri from start to finish. Kouri's head coach on the Hilltop, Bob Benson, joined in for a few days in Arkansas and current GU Head Coach Rob Sgarlata met him in Richmond, Virginia and rode the final three days.
 
To cap off the trip, at a reception following his arrival, Kouri presented fellow football alum Ty Williams (C'18) with a brand new, top-of-the-line Permobil F5 wheelchair. Currently one of the best wheelchairs on the market, the F5 has a seat lift built in to assist with day-to-day life. It also goes into a full standing position, which is incredibly important for the overall health and wellness of someone living with paralysis, helping with circulation, blood pressure, bone density, muscle mass and organ health.
 
Media Coverage...


(video courtesy of Good Morning America)

Washington Post
WUSA9
NewMobility

Which Georgetown alums rode with Janne…
 

Steve Baczko (C'97)	Dan Dunleavy (B96)	Chris Jacobs (C'99)	Mike Locker (B'97)	Jake Robards (C'97)
Anderson Bell (B'99)	Aaron Gross (C'97)	Matt Kane (B'97)	Dave Maher (C'97)	Jim Torykian (C'96)
Chris DelRosso (B'98,L'02)	Dick Hillenbrand (C'97)	Andy Laird (F'96)	Mark Marinacci (C'97)	Rob Zazzali (C'97)
Dennis Devine (B'97)	Mark Ivcevich (B'97)	Brandon Lieb (B'97)	John Murray (B'97)

 
 
What they're saying…
 
JANNE KOURI
What was the most rewarding part of the journey?
I can't say one thing. On a personal level it was amazing to truly live in the moment. Every day it was just 'focus on the mission, worrying about food, worrying about equipment, knowing the routes and making sure we got there safely.' I maybe opened my laptop three times and didn't watch a single episode of a TV show or movie the entire trip. It was really amazing to experience life in a totally different way.
 
What did it mean to have so many friends and members of your Georgetown family join and support you along the way?
That was absolutely incredible and it meant so much to me that I have such wonderful friends who want to take time out of their busy lives to not only support me but also support NextStep. That's why Georgetown is such a special place because, obviously the school is wonderful and the education is wonderful, but really what makes it such a great place is the people. It just goes to show it has been 22 years since I graduated and that bond is still as tight as it ever was, so it is really remarkable.
 
Also, on top of that, with every week there was a whole new group of friends joining. They added so much life to the journey and it helped invigorate me and Anderson. Without that, the trip would have been a lot tougher. It just gave us a new spark every time a new group of friends came.
 
What made you pick Georgetown as your finish line?
I never really considered ending the trip somewhere else. Georgetown was such an amazing experience for me, going to school there and playing football. Everyone at Georgetown, especially the alumni and the football program, have been so supportive of Susan and me since my injury and I could not imagine ending it anywhere else.
 
Now that you have accomplished this, what's next?
Next we will continue to work on expanding NextStep to communities across the United States. That's our primary focus right now. In terms of the Ride for Paralysis, I am planning on taking the ride back to my homeland in Finland and doing the same kind of trip in 2021.
 
ROB SGARLATA
How does Janne and what he just accomplished embody the program's three core principles?
Janne personifies all three of our core principles.  The lessons he learned as a future Georgetown Hall of Fame student-athlete during his four years have guided his ground breaking work which will impact others for more than 40 years. Janne is the originator of our association with the Finnish concept of SISU, the courage in the face of adversity without complaint. Basically it is the ability to focus on what you can do in spite of overwhelming odds and have the grit and desire to make your vision a reality.  We constantly tell our players to follow the 10/90 rule. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react. The LA to DC ride is just one more example of the SISU that Janne embodies on a daily basis. Our final principle is the Jesuit idea of Men and Women for Others. From the day he was injured, Janne has worked tirelessly to help all of the other six million people who are affected by paralysis in the United States. It has been amazing for me to see Janne's constant encouragement and mentorship of Hoya linebacker Ty Williams who was injured in 2015.  Janne has been instrumental from day one, aiding Ty with his journey to recovery.
 
You rode the final three days with him. What did you see that further inspired you about his journey?
Each person who joined the ride in different cities signed the tailgate of his equipment trailer. Janne is the only person in the world who could join all of these unique and outstanding individuals to one cause over the past 2 months. It was inspirational to see the unconditional love that all of these different people had for Janne. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
 
You both played with and coached Janne. How has your relationship with him grown over the years?
Janne was a freshman when I was a senior. I started my coaching career a year later, coaching a number of my former teammates.  I was lucky to coach Janne, a future Hall of Fame defensive lineman. He made me look like I knew what I was doing. Over the past 20-plus years, I have learned so much from Janne. He is a daily inspiration and I feel blessed to call family.
 
TY WILLIAMS
What has your relationship with Janne meant to you since your injury?
It's been really great having Janne as a person to reach out to. It means a lot to me that he's constantly reached out to me and provided me with any help I've needed. I truly appreciate and am fortunate for his friendship.
 
When he presented you with the wheelchair, what immediately went through your mind?
I was truly shocked, at first. Then a wave of excitement took over. I thought about the things this chair could help with and couldn't believe how lucky I was to receive the chair.
 
What will a wheelchair of that quality do for your rehab process?
This new chair is going to be amazing for my rehab process. It has a standing function which will allow me to stand as much as I want, which is huge for people in my situation. The overall help this chair will provide truly cannot be measured by words.
 
ANDERSON BELL
1. How long have you known Janne and what does his accomplishment mean to you?
Janne and I met at Georgetown. He's an amazing friend, brings out your best. His accomplishment is proof that we are limited only by the stories we tell ourselves. Spending time with Janne changes your idea of what's possible
 
2. What made you join him on this journey? Did you originally plan to do the entire trip?
I challenge anyone with a pulse to spend a few minutes talking with Janne and not be inspired to get involved.  The more I understand about Janne's mission with Next Step and see the  impact it is having on the lives of so many people, I realized this  is something I wanted to put more time and energy into, LA to DC was the ultimate way to do it.