The year 2025 delivered the most profound highs and lows for 17-year-old Zachary Rayment of Toronto. It was a year defined by immense physical challenge, unwavering determination, and an unexpected athletic breakthrough that has rewritten his future.
A Year of Pain and Progress
Zach, who lives with cerebral palsy, spent four gruelling months at SickKids Hospital following a drastic surgical procedure in late June. To correct his knees, which were painfully turning inward, doctors broke each of his legs in three places, realigned them, and secured them with pins.
His recovery involved months of intense physiotherapy, including exhausting walks with a walker down hospital hallways. Despite the pain, Zach's spirit remained unbroken. As he was wheeled into the operating room on June 30, he lightened the mood by fashioning his surgical cap into a conehead, showcasing his characteristic humour.
An Unlikely Path to World-Class Sport
While 2025 began as a struggle, with Zach falling behind in his demanding Grade 11 schoolwork, the year concluded on a transformative high. A key milestone was his official national classification for para-swimming: he was rated as an S2 athlete.
This classification is exceptionally rare. The S2 category is for swimmers with the most significant physical impairments, such as quadriplegia. "I guess not too many quadriplegics have said, 'Great, I can't really move, so let's see if I can swim,'" Zach remarked with his typical dry wit.
For years, Zach has been swimming and competing with the Flames team at Variety Village, a Toronto sports centre for youth with disabilities, often without an official rating. His new S2 status suddenly positions him as a potential competitor on the national and international para-swimming stage. His father, Simon Rayment, immediately looked up the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Community Support and a Memorable Boost
Zach's journey was punctuated by moments of incredible support. During his hospital stay, players from his favourite soccer team, Toronto FC, visited him. Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic was so impressed by Zach's spirit that he declared on a team video, "We need more Zachs."
Zach credits the community at Variety Village for his success. "The programs are part of it," he says, "but the main thing... is the people. You're not just patient #45. We're a bunch of people who care about each other." His family's unwavering belief was also crucial; his parents famously ignored startled looks from others at pools when they would toss him in to swim lengths.
By the end of the year, Zach was seeing the rewards of his hard work. He grew taller from the surgery, navigates his home with canes, has nearly caught up in school, and is back practicing with his Volt hockey team. The once-difficult year had definitively turned around.
How to Help the Community That Helped Zach
The Toronto Sun Christmas Fund is raising money to support the vital programs at Variety Village, with a 2025 goal of $260,000. Donations can be made directly at sunchristmasfund.ca. The fund helps maintain the inclusive environment that empowers young athletes like Zach Rayment to defy expectations and reach for their dreams.
