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Dr. Donny (Don) was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he developed his passion for all sports but found a unique love for soccer. At the age of 17, he had a snowboarding accident that left him nearly paralyzed. Due to emergency surgery, relentless rehab, his amazing family, and God’s grace, Dr. Donny was not only able to return to soccer but received a scholarship to Azusa Pacific University.
There he found success on and off the field, boasting back-to-back NAIA National Championship Final appearances while graduating cum laude in three years with a degree in Psychology. His love for sports followed him after graduation as he began training athletes at Performax Training Center while also leading the Sports Ministry at his church. During this time, his passion for helping people greatly surpassed his educational ability to do so—and that kept him up at night.
This longing to know more began his five-year journey toward earning his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. After graduating, he spent a year studying under Dr. Chris Powers at the University of Southern California, researching and developing tools for identifying and treating movement dysfunction in running athletes. Since then, he has worked with hundreds of professional, collegiate, high school, and recreational runners across the country.
Dr. Donny and his wife, Bethany, moved to Kansas City in 2014 to start Freedom Physical Therapy and Training Center and bring their experience and education to a growing, active community. They also love raising their family here in the Midwest.
For Dr. Donny, every chapter of his story has shaped who he is today—from breaking his neck as a teenager, to college soccer, Sports Ministry, marrying his wife, raising his children, moving to Kansas City, and building Freedom PTTC from the ground up. Each season has strengthened his faith, gratitude, and calling to serve others.
Those who know him best would describe him as having an old soul—someone who values early mornings, rocking chairs, front porches, and a good book. His passion for people runs deep. Donny is driven by the belief that every person deserves to be met where they are, and that even small, intentional moments can have a lasting impact. One of his favorite quotes is from Coach John Wooden:
“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
Those words continue to guide how he leads Freedom and the people he serves.
Outside of work, Donny feels most himself when he’s learning something new, especially research on biomechanics and movement science, or when he’s hosting friends and family for BBQs. In another life, he says he’d probably love to be a professional baseball player—or maybe even a farmer—but for now, he’s grateful to live out his dream right here at Freedom.