08/29/2025
It is with a broken heart, not just a heavy one, that we share the devastating news with our EmpowerSCI and Shake-A-Leg families: our dear friend Derek O'Brien passed away unexpectedly this week.
Over the past 24 hours, news of Derek reached three old friends who hadn’t spoken with him in more than 15 years and each responded with the same word: heartbroken. Derek didn’t just touch lives, he touched hearts. He had a gift for shifting the energy in any room, often through a corny joke that he would laugh at himself before anyone else had the chance which, of course, only made everyone laugh harder. More than his humor, it was Derek’s passion for life and his relentless drive that left the deepest mark. Whether it was mastering a transfer, capturing the perfect photo, or taking on the independence of college, Derek’s commitment showed all of us how to live better, fuller lives.
He was someone who could never be counted out. A true foodie and an exercise buff, he brought his whole self into every space he entered and then made that space better. Derek immersed himself in his community and never hesitated to show up for others. He willingly shared his story with newly injured individuals, students, and families, helping them see not only what was possible, but what was beautiful about this life. He never met a stranger and whenever you were around Derek he had an uncanny ability to make you feel like you had been friends for years. Some of us have been lucky enough to call him family for 20 years and he never missed an opportunity to reach out, to check in, to offer support, or put a smile on your face.
At EmpowerSCI, our unofficial slogan is “Changing Lives.” During our very first orientation, with Derek sitting beside us, we promised our participants that their lives would be changed. Every year since, Derek has been committed to helping us keep that promise. He genuinely believed in the power of showing people what their lives could be like and encouraging them to go forward with a positive attitude, see the beauty around them, and not limit themselves.
Whether demonstrating his incredible lower body dressing skills, sharing his iPhone photography, or speaking passionately about people and passions alike, Derek embodied the EmpowerSCI mission in every way. He lived a fully autonomous, fully actualized life and in doing so, showed not only our participants but all of us how life should be lived.
We want to say thank you, Derek, for sharing not only your grit but also your heart with us over the years. We are endlessly grateful to have known you. We promise to honor both you and the impact you’ve made at EmpowerSCI, and we have no doubt that your legacy will continue to shape our program and community for as long as we are blessed to carry this mission forward.
To our community: Derek’s family will be holding a Celebration of Life on September 6th, 2025, at 2:00pm in Rockland, Maine (see flyer in the comments). This gathering is open to anyone able to make the trip. We also hope to host a virtual gathering for our EmpowerSCI family in the near future, so please keep an eye out for that link. In the meantime, we invite you to use this post to share photos and memories of DRock over the years. And of course, if you need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly. We will have our monthly rehab counseling virtual group next Tuesday for anybody that needs additional support
We love you all so much and so did he.
So much love from Derek‘s original Empower crew
