At age 21, Alexa Alvarez was diagnosed with acute transverse myelitis, a rare nontraumatic cause of spinal cord injury resulting in a C5 incomplete injury. Through intensive rehabilitation, she regained some upper-body function. Wanting further improvement, Alexa moved from New York to Kentucky in 2022 to join a Reynolds Foundation-funded study at the University of Louisville, where she underwent surgery to implant an epidural stimulator, a device that sends electrical impulses to the spinal cord. In 2023, Alexa returned to New York and continued her participation in epidural stimulation research, regularly attending sessions at Kessler Foundation's Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation. Thanks to these treatments, she achieved voluntary leg movement. After completing the study, Ms. Alvarez resumed her academic pursuits with renewed determination, building on the progress made through her involvement in advanced spinal cord research.

In 2023, Alexa returned to New York and continued her involvement in epidural stimulation research, regularly attending sessions at Kessler Foundation's Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation. As a result of these interventions, she achieved voluntary leg movement. After successfully completing the study, Ms. Alvarez returned to her academic journey with renewed determination, building on the progress she made through her participation in cutting-edge spinal cord injury research.