WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Once upon a time, Juan Hernandez wasn’t sure he would be able to walk again or be able to have children, but he and his wife have turned his spinal cord injury into a story of hope.
Speaking with 7News from their West Miami-Dade home, Juan and Valeria Hernandez opened up about the challenges they’ve faced and their new chapter ahead.
What their life looks like today might have been unbelievable to the South Florida couple five years ago.
“I had asked [Valeria] about to marry me 27 days before the accident, so we had pictured what life would look like,” said Juan “So then, when the accident happened, we were very uncertain about how the future would look.”
Back in 2021, Juan was injured in a diving accident at a sandbar. Doctors said he may never walk again.
The couple spoke with 7News at the time. They were newly engaged, focusing on his recovery and praying for their future.
“We want to start a family and buy a house, and so, I’m just focusing on that,” said Juan.
Fast forward to 2026. Juan walked down the aisle to marry the love of his life. He has the house and has two children.
Not only that. Juan and Valeria are children’s book authors.
“I was looking for, like, on Amazon, and I couldn’t find anything that was like a dad in a wheelchair,” said Valeria. “And I was, like, surprised, because I’m like, ‘It’s 2026.’ I’m like, ‘How is there not like a family like ours, like, being represented, like, for a children’s book in a children’s style that [my son will] understand?'”
“Why Does Daddy Use Wheels?” started as a passion project for their own little family, but it has led to something more.
“We thought it would be great for other families, too, that are also like ours, and they could feel represented,” said Valeria. “And then also for families that don’t use wheelchairs, that they can be like, ‘Oh, that’s just like a chair, and these are how other people get around.'”
“It’s such a personal story to us, so it’s deeply personal, and it means so much to us, so it feels great to see how people have been so receptive of the message, and being able to see kids that have a parent in a wheelchair feel represented, to see a family like theirs,” said Juan.
From fearing whether they’d ever have children, to now being children’s book authors, the Hernandezes said they feel “grateful, thankful and blessed,” all of those words combined into one.
When what their life might look like another five years from now, Juan and Valeria might not have an answer, but they’re certain they’ll write the next chapter together, full of endless possibilities.
“We’re just normal people, and we’re just trying our best and taking it one day at a time,” said Juan. “And, in that ordinariness of our lives, has sprouted our marriage and our children, and this book and this message that we want to give.”
The Hernandezes plan to write more books as their children go through different stages of life. To buy a copy of “Why Is Daddy on Wheels?” click here.
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