“We formulated our mission to help people with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions cope with medical challenges,” he said.

One of the two first-year honorees is Carson Dohemann, 32, of Novato.

Dohemann, like Pforsich, suffered a spinal cord injury in a swimming accident.

He is almost completely paralyzed from the chest down.

Pforsich and Dohemann both train at SCI-FIT in Petaluma. SCI-FIT targets clients with spinal cord injuries, strokes and neurological disorders.

Dohemann’s physiotherapy training and work at SCI-FIT is funded by grants. Any money raised from Pforsich’s event will help her continue to receive therapy sessions when those grants run out, Dohemann said.

“This fundraiser is going to allow me to continue doing this,” he said.

And maintaining strength is crucial, he said.

“It’s really important because without the trainers at SCI-FIT, I can’t get up on my own,” he said. “Moving in general for my body, keeping my muscles strong. They atrophy quickly.

Dohemann said that beyond the fundraising, he was excited to see the event in its early stages.

“It’s really the first step on a journey into this nonprofit world.” They’re raising money and helping people and I think that’s really cool to see,” he said. “It’s the smallest of what I’m going to have in mind, so it’s pretty cool to be at the forefront.”

The other beneficiary of the Nov. 3 event is Andre Abarca, 29, of Novato.

Abarca suffered a spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident in 2023, according to his profile on the Pforsich website.

Moving forward, Pforsich and D’Ancona envision an event that builds momentum and attracts several nominations from the community each year.

“We want this to be a place where we are known enough that our family members or friends can nominate their loved ones as potential beneficiaries in the future,” Pforsich said.

Pforsich knows something about it momentum and move forward. He just wants to get the message out to the whole world.

“I’ve had a lot of help from Sonoma County and this community, but a lot of people aren’t as lucky as I am,” Pforsich said. “I want to pay it forward.”

You can reach columnist Kerry Benefield at 707-526-8671 or [email protected]. On Instagram @kerry.benefield.