23 Nov 2022
Angela Rockwood - The Business of Inspiration- Episode 4
Angela Rockwood was born in Clovis, New Mexico, and experienced the world growing
up as the child of a career military man. She started modeling at the age of 17, later
becoming a fitness instructor, which led her into the world of martial arts. At 22, she
relocated to Los Angeles, and within a year was engaged to her best friend. They
bought a house and she fell back into the entertainment world by launching an acting
career, with small roles in The Fast and the Furious and the syndicated television
series V.I.P.
Angela’s life was practically perfect until turmoil struck one week before 9/11 on
September 3, 2001. She and her two bridesmaids were driving home from a trip in San
Francisco when her girlfriend spun out of control. Angela was in the backseat and was
thrown through the side-rear triangular window suffering a broken neck and severed
spinal cord; as a result she was diagnosed as a c4 quadriplegic.
When Angela awoke from surgery, she was given a 3 to 5 % chance of regaining any
movement from the neck down. She felt her paralysis was for a reason, that she had a
mission to fulfill. Unable to move or feel anything, she knew instantly she had two
things left; life and her indomitable spirit. She stated she’s "had a huge choice to make:
to turn a catastrophic situation into something extraordinary and to be a powerful voice
for others in similar devastating situations”.
Angela, a martial artist and a firm believer in alternative methods of healing didn’t
accept her doctor’s prognosis. Two months after the accident, with numbness in her
hands, she was able to wiggle her left index finger, a dramatic moment captured live on
an Entertainment Tonight piece about the ‘Power of the Mind’. And then, just a
month later, she touched the top of her head. In 2003, she was the third American to
undergo a pioneering stem cell surgery in Portugal, which allowed her to later operate a
manual wheelchair. Although Angela is unable to move her fingers fully, she can feed
herself, paint, train in martial arts and apply her own makeup.
As an Ambassador for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Angela represents
the Paralysis Resource Center in outreach to Asian-American communities. She
serves as a spokes model for Ti-Lite Wheelchairs and has also worked as a model for
Target, Nordstrom and Toyota. Angela has also appeared on Larry King Live, and in
People Magazine discussing how to live life to the fullest since her paralysis. She has
energized her acting career by landing in three national commercials for AARP,
Mabelline, and Sony. Angela is also featured in CinemAbility, a documentary to be
released in 2013, directed by Jenni Gold, which includes Ben Affleck, Jaime Foxx, and
Jane Seymour.
After her injury, she chose not to focus on the negative, but instead to go down a
positive path, hoping to be an example for others and especially those in the disability
community. Her tenacious attitude and purposeful personality allowed her to shatter the
negative stereotypes as opposed to focusing on them. With her ultimate mission of pushing boundaries, she created, produced and stars in the Sundance Channel ‘’Critic’s Choice Awards’’, Best Reality series Push Girls. The show follows the lives of five women living with paralysis while cultivating their friendship as they undertake everyday life.
The exposure of Push Girls has given her the opportunity to make
television appearances on Ellen, Jeff Probst Show, Marie Osmond, Access
Hollywood, Inside Edition, Good Day LA, Extra, Huffington Post Live, Kcal 9, Katie
Couric Show, Good Morning America, and a return segment on Entertainment
Tonight. She even had an appearance at The White House!
Angela continues to fulfill her post-accident vision by sharing her own experience with
hopes of creating a change within others that reignites the human will. She is
passionately relentless in manifesting change and implementing ideas through her
teaching at the Joey Travolta Theatre ‘Manifestation Classes’. She has also taught
her classes at the Performing Arts Studio West through Meet the Biz Workshops. As
an innovator, she has successfully spoken about ‘Living to the Fullest’ at Rancho
Amigos Hospital, L.A. Rescue Mission Assembly, and Edwards Air Force Base.
Angela has shared her secrets of ‘The Beauty from Within’ for the Miss Global
Organization of 2013 & 2014. A group of 4,000 Paul Mitchell students in Las Vegas,
and the California Association of Realtors were the recipients of a topic close to her
heart; ‘Pushing the Limits’. Angela has been chosen by Brig Gen Michael Brewer of
the 412 th Test Wing Commander to be the 2015 & 2016 Honorary Commander for
Edwards Air Force Base.
Angela has returned to modeling to prove ‘’Beauty comes in ALL shapes, sizes, color,
age & in EVERY vessel.’’ She is currently filming Pen Pals, directed by Marem Hassler
playing the lead Otilia who is a bisexual sex therapist. Tune in to World Poker Tour on
Fox Sports Networks to see her interviewing and diving into the soul of champion
poker players.
Angela is a vessel that is inspired by her grand purpose, deep within her soul she
carries this mantra daily: "Life is a gift and what we do with our life is our gift back
to the world, to others, and to ourselves."
