Paralyzing disease proves no obstacle

After climbing through the red-and-black monkey bars at the Live Training Center in Palmetto, Cintia Manasseh-Caputo dropped to the ground and shook her hands ever so slightly.

The 36-year-old Mill Creek resident was training for an "American Ninja Warrior" March 18 regional qualifier and she was in pain. She tried to wave off a burning, tingling sensation, an annoyance left over from her battle against Guillain-Barre syndrome.

At least she could move.

In May 2015, the hairdresser was struck by the rare disease, a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, causing paralysis. Although the condition is reversible with therapy, it can take years to overcome, and can even cause death if not caught quickly enough.

Death was part of Manasseh-Caputo's equation as doctors at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center had to induce a coma for two weeks after she went into respiratory failure. Only a few days after experiencing numbness in her feet, she had become a quadriplegic.

Her battle had begun.

“She looked like a skeleton of herself,” said her husband, Darren Caputo, who noted she lost 30 pounds after being placed in the coma and then moved to HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital after she regained consciousness. “She had in her mind she wanted to do everything she could, in her power, to build herself up."

Ten months later, Manasseh-Caputo is pushing herself to compete on "American Ninja Warrior," a television show that tests the strength and stamina of competitors on a large-scale obstacle course. 

"It’s an amazing transformation," her husband said. "I thought she was a tough cookie before, but I never imagined somebody going through something like that, like a phoenix, from the ashes to being reborn. It’s an inspiration.”

Manasseh-Caputo decided to compete for a spot on "American Ninja Warrior" after watching the television show during her stay at the rehabilitation hospital, where she spent a month for occupational, physical and speech therapy. At the time, she couldn't even change the TV channel by using her hands.

She watched the many contestants push their bodies to the maximum.

“It was so inspirational,” Manasseh-Caputo said. 

Competing on “American Ninja Warrior” became her goal, even though her doctors said it likely would be at least a year before she learned to walk again. She also learned her insurance company would only cover therapy for 30 days.

Her resolve to get healthy intensified.

“I was very fit before,” Manasseh-Caputo said. “So the thought of not walking for a year was a death sentence for me. My husband gave me a pep talk. It kind of snapped me out of it. 

“Every day I got stronger. I said, ‘I’m going to walk out of here, even if it’s with a walker.' I walked out with a walker. That was July 10.”

Since that time, she has put her energy into getting physically fit. 

“Right now is about the time I’m supposed to be learning to walk again,” she said. 

At 5 feet 5 inches and 140 pounds, she handles the American Ninja Warrior-like obstacles at Live Training Center as if she was taking a stroll through the park. Those obstacles include a rock-climbing wall, a net strung from the floor to the ceiling and an oversized ramp.

And, of course, the monkey bar-like obstacle.

Only the motionless right corner of her mouth reveals her battle against Guillain-Barre syndrome is not complete.

If she is good enough to make the television broadcast of "American Ninja Warrior," her plight will receive much more attention.

She submitted her entry video for the show on Jan. 17, minutes before the deadline. Producers selected it out of thousands of submissions and have been in touch to hear more about her story. 

“I had finally gotten to the point where I was strong again and I realized I was stronger than I was before I got sick," she said. "I thought I’d try. I have a good story to tell.”

Manasseh-Caputo joined her husband at the gym three days after she left the rehabilitation center in July, using her walker for support. As she gained strength, she began to play soccer and racquetball and added other exercises. She works out six days a week.

“At some point I wondered, how much stronger can I get? I thought it was a cool challenge. Let’s see how far I can push my body,” she said.

Manasseh-Caputo found LIVE Training Center in Palmetto last summer and has used the facility to practice on Ninja Warrior obstacles.

Her best friend of 26 years, Daphne Ticola, knew her ninja dreams would come true.

“Everything she sets her mind to, it happens,” Ticola said. “That’s who she is and I’ve come to expect it.”

Manasseh-Caputo knows the Ninja Warrior challenge will be extreme, especially when so many of the obstacles involve grip strength. Her hands already hurt, but it’s worse when she pushes her limits.

“The pain is there whether I sit on my butt or I'm active,” she said. “I might as well do the things I enjoy. If it’s going to hurt regardless, why not? I’m excited to see what I can do.”