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“I have permanent damage to my central nervous system — Guillain-Barré syndrome, so I need to be in the pool for my health,” Carrolyn Minggia said.
Minggia, 57, teaches arthritis aquatics Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Christian Street YMCA, 1724 Christian St., to a mostly older demographic.
“The class has been growing,” she said. “I started with three students. Now I average 18 to 30.”
Minggia leads the participants ranging from a 44-year-old man with special needs to a 96-year-old woman in a warm-up across the pool while singing “Clementine” and shows them a variety of other lower and upper body movement in an one-hour class that consists of many laughs and stories as well.
“We just keep them moving, and they’re finally able to live their day,” she said.
At age 27, she was uncertain how she would live the rest of her days.
“[Doctors] said I wouldn’t be able to do anything or live by myself,” Minggia, who could not feed or care for herself at the time of her diagnosis, said.
When she got back on her feet, the grad of Massechusetts’ Springfield College landed a job with the City where she worked for 17 years, including a decade with the Department of Human Services. However, her condition forced her into early retirement at 47. Five years ago, she became a certified instructor.
“It clearly makes a difference in my life,” she said of the classes, “because I’m single and do not have children — just a cocker spaniel and three cats. … It’s helped me to grow into a better person. I’m more patient, I’m more thorough, I’m healthier, I am stronger, I can do more in the course of my day because I spend time with them twice a week.”
The Philly native, who moved around the world with her father in the military, returned to the city in 1979, moving to her grandmother’s house at 20th and Pemberton streets. Living in Southwest Philly for the past three years, she looks forward to her drive to South of South to hang out with her students and now friends, whom she also periodically meets up with for lunch, shopping and an annual holiday celebration.
“Life is wonderful and when you’re here, you’re supposed to share that wonder,” she said. “I’m amazed at how these people look at me. They think I’m special and unique. I’m just an ordinary person. … Sharing time with them is a joy.”
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Other 2012 Difference Makers
/ Joe Barbuto / Ella Best / Paul Bryson / Nicole Canale /
/ Jasmaine, Jeannine & Jenielle Cook / Erin Dougherty /
/ Duane Davis / Frank Franzini / Adé Fuqua / Bennie & Hilda Hudson /
/ Ray Innaurato / Ed McBride / Jeannine McGuire / Carrolyn Minggia /
/ Teri Ruiz & Leah Vodila / Jeffrey Rush / Rev. John Stabeno /
/ Marina Stamos / Anne Stanfield-Hagert / Charles Stecker / Megan West /
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