Avery Vincent
Avery Vincent
Growing up in Houston, Texas, with her parents, two brothers, and a black Labrador, Avery was surrounded by a close and supportive family. As the middle child, she considers her brothers two of her best friends. She is also recently engaged to her fiancée, Lyn, after three years together.
Family and relationships have played a huge role in shaping who she is. Avery believes every person she has loved has contributed something to her life, describing herself as a puzzle made up of little pieces from friends and family. Creativity is another important part of her world, and she enjoys diamond art, coloring, paint-by-number projects, and anything that lets her create.
Now in her first year as a middle school theatre teacher, Avery is especially proud of graduating cum laude with her bachelor’s degree at just 20 years old. Working as a summer camp counselor has also been one of the most meaningful experiences in her life, giving her a place where the rest of the world seems to melt away.
Born with spina bifida, Avery has experienced decreasing mobility as she has gotten older and now uses a wheelchair. Daily life often involves accessibility challenges that others may not immediately notice, from finding suitable housing to simply having enough space beside her vehicle to unload her wheelchair.
Rather than allowing those challenges to determine what she can do, Avery continually looks for ways to adapt. Her outlook is simple: this is the life she gets, so she intends to make the most of it. Her parents have always encouraged her to aim high and never settle, while her family and Lyn support her without treating her as fragile.
Finding Freedom in the Water
The water has always been a place of freedom. As a child, one of Avery’s favorite summer activities was diving to the bottom of the pool for toys, and she later participated on a swim team. Even today, she can happily spend hours in the pool.
Scuba diving will be an entirely new experience, and that is part of the excitement. She is looking forward to exploring a part of the world she has never seen before and experiencing the freedom of moving underwater.
In the water, physical limitations feel different. Avery does not feel weighed down and can move more freely, making scuba an opportunity to experience her body and surroundings in a completely new way.
Being selected by Dive Pirates Foundation means becoming part of a community where physical limitations no longer have to determine what is possible. She hopes this experience will show others that, with the right support, challenges do not have to prevent anyone from trying something new or pursuing something that once seemed out of reach.
Most importantly, Avery wants the people closest to her to remember this chapter as a time when she refused to let fear or the unknown dictate how she lived her life.
For Avery, this adventure represents two things above all:Freedom and the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
Donate today and be a part of Avery’s incredible journey!