Momentum, the film documentary about two South Lake Tahoe athletes, to air on PBS

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Momentum is a story of resilience, vulnerability, and sacrifice in the face of life’s most insurmountable challenges. This documentary film is about locals, by locals, and soon the rest of the world will get to appreciate it.

Created by filmmaker Michelle Aguillar, Momentum is about the comeback stories of South Lake Tahoe residents Chris "Coco" Cocores and Ryan Wallace. Behind the vision and lens of Michelle with co-director Lane Power, the compelling stories will captivate the viewer the moment the first sound is heard.

Momentum is now available on demand on the PBS App and the PBS website and will be on the Reno PBS station on June 11 at 9 p.m. The PBS App is free and available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Chris was a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) titleholder at the time of a life-changing event in 2017. He was involved in a horrific three-car head-on collision that took the life of his girlfriend Cecilia Casares and their dog and left him with broken bones and spine, intubated with major atrophy. When he woke up in the hospital he told the doctors he wanted to fight again, and they looked at him like he was crazy.

Michelle was living in Washington, D.C. at the time of Chris's crash and desire to get back in the ring and she knew she had to be in South Lake Tahoe to document his comeback and story of resiliency.

The community has followed Wallace's story for years. He lost a leg to a rare bone cancer at the age of 19, then he needed a new prosthetic leg ten years later and the community rallied and collected money for the leg. In the years since he has coached middle school and high school wrestling, participated in the Endeavor Games, and is a MMA fighter. Ryan is now the director of Leadership and Volunteer Engagement for the Marcella Foundation and is the creator of the Momentum Mentors concept and often serves as a motivational speaker and mentor to those who, like him, have experienced limb amputations and teen cancer diagnosis.

Michelle and Lane created a film about the amazing stories of these two athletes. "Momentum takes you on the inspiring journey of two friends who find hope, resilience, and new beginnings through MMA, showcasing the transformative power of sports, mentorship, and community both inside and outside the ring," states the PBS page for the movie: https://www.pbs.org/show/momentum/ . The movie is being shown on PBS thanks to support from the Marcella Foundation.

Ryan said there will be a celebration in town sometime around the June 11 viewing date.