Hope in Progress

There are people who suffer through hard times, and then there are those who fight to overcome them. Retired LAPD Officer Kristina Ripatti-Pearce is most certainly the latter.

Ripatti-Pearce, a Redondo Beach resident, was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in the line of duty four years ago. Where many might lose hope, Ripatti-Pearce is instead helping to cultivate it.

This June 12, the mother of two will be captaining a 4-member bicycle relay team for the Race Across America Challenge that will see her cross 3,000 miles and 14 states using her custom built hand cycle. Her purpose? To raise money for Operation Progress, a nonprofit organization founded by Los Angeles southeast area police officers. The program was formed to seek out youth in crime-ridden neighborhoods and provide them with mentorship, leadership training, and financial resources for educational scholarships.

"We thought we would take it to the next level and lead by example and show the kids, that things that are seemingly impossible are possible with hard work, dedication and determination," Ripatti-Pearce said.

A BBQ fundraiser for the event was held Wednesday at the Southeast Community Police Station near downtown Los Angeles where Ripatti-Pearce used to work.

"Don't set limits to what you can do," she said. "That's what we are really trying to show the kids. You're going to encounter challenges and obstacles in life, but you can rise above them."

Ripatti-Pearce knows a thing or two about facing obstacles. On June 3, 2006, the 10-year veteran of the LAPD working against gang activity in Watts, confronted James Fenton McNeal, a career criminal who had just robbed a liquor store. He opened fire on her, hitting her with three bullets, one that entered her armpit and pierced through her spine. Her partner, Officer Joe Meyer, shot and killed McNeal, then applied emergency first aid and saved Ripatti-Pearce's life.

A lover of physical sports — biking, surfing, fishing — she was determined to find a way to continue to participate in them. Enter the hand cycle, which is basically a bicycle powered by the arms instead of the legs.

A year after she was shot, she rode her hand bike to complete the LAPD's annual Police Memorial Run. She later gave birth to her second child. Last year, she completed the Boston Marathon in under three hours.

"She's my very close friend and a personal hero," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck told those in attendance Wednesday.

Ripatti-Pearce has been working with trainers who have done the race before. They have her on programs that include hill climbs and sprints and a lot of time on the hand cycle. She works out at Body 1 Fitness in Redondo Beach two hours a day, five days a week.

"I try to stay in really good shape year round anyway," she said, "so this was just focusing it for the hand cycle even more."

She'll need every ounce of strength, grit and determination she can muster to complete a race that some call the world's toughest endurance event, one that's distance amounts to climbing Mt. Everest three times. The team is hoping to complete the trek from Oceanside to Annapolis in 216 consecutive hours.

And while the tough-as-nails 37-year-old is completely game for the challenge, she and her mates can still use a lot of help. Toyota donated vans to the cause that will carry the large support crew that will be traveling cross-country with the four cyclists throughout their journey. Challenged Athletes Foundation has also lent their support while the LAPD has hosted several fundraisers.

"We couldn't do this without the support of the LAPD who has been here for me and my family and everybody from day one," Ripatti-Pearce said. "They've been like a second family to me. Chief Beck and everyone here continues to do that and it always overwhelms us and amazes us."

Operation Progress and Race Across America will also be recognized by Mayor Mike Gin and the City Council of Redondo Beach Tuesday, May 18 at the City Council meeting.

"The Redondo Beach community has always been great in supporting us and our family and Operation Progress as well," she said. "Of course we can still use all the support we can get."

Ripatti-Pearce said that Wal-Mart or Visa gift cards are great donations because they will help feed the crew throughout the race. Monetary donations to Operation Progress can be given at www.Operationprogress.org.

In the end, supporting this cause will not only be an assist to Ripatti-Pearce and her team in finishing the grueling race, it will also be a form of instilling hope in youth who have very little.