Hello! My name is Layla, I’m an athlete, advocate, actor, artist, philanthropist and I’m autistic with anxiety disorder. My dream is to be a beacon of hope for others facing similar challenges. Art has been my lifeline, my sanctuary. I have been using art to express myself and to help calm my anxiety for all of my life! I paint, draw, sculpt, bead, craft, sew and wood burn. I’ve taught myself everything I know about art, yet I look forward to the day I find a mentor to guide me further. I often use my art to raise money for charities involving the additional needs community! When I’m not honing my craft, I can usually be found outside! I love to be in the fresh air, being very active; I also love the ocean and all of the creatures in it! For those reasons I spend most of my free time competing in water sports! A goal of mine is to traverse the globe, capturing my adventures in a book through my art.
You can follow Layla at her Instagram profile @paddlequeenlayla & her Facebook profile at Dancing Red Panda.
You can purchase Layla’s artwork at Larimart Gallery.
Layla Teaching Tim Tebow
“What was so special about Layla, two things come to mind,” Tebow said. “Number one is how sweet she is, and number two would be her patience. She is so at peace with who she is and confident … That and patience are two things that are so contagious, and I think that she radiates that.” from ESPN article by Kaila Burns-Heffner
Sports
My mother searched for years to find someone to teach my brother and I how to swim, but we were turned away because we’re autistic. When I was five years old, my mom finally found the Baby Otter Swim School and Indiana and I learned to swim in five days! When I was 10, I joined the Special Olympics swim team and my love for water turned into a love for competition and pushing myself to be better and better. I find the water to be very relaxing, even when I’m working hard and it makes my anxiety settle down. I have been swimming with SO for 10 years this summer and it really started everything! I now compete in seven sports with Special Olympics Florida: Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Standup Paddle Boarding, Surfing, Volleyball, Basketball and Alpine Skiing! SO is more than sports to me, my coaches and my teammates are my family! I am not only an athlete, I am also an Athlete Leader, Health Messenger and training this year to be a SUP Coach! In the future I hope to become a Global Messenger! My dream is to one day work for Special Olympics! Outside of Special Olympics, I also have been ocean and river racing SUPs for 7 years and outrigger canoes for 3 years! I race with a team in Miami called the Florida Paddling Hui and dream of racing with them in the waters of Tennessee, California, Washington and Hawaii some day!
Advocacy
Advocacy has been very important to me for a very long time! I have spoken in elementary schools, middle schools and even Nova Southeastern University, about the importance of inclusion for the special needs community…inclusion in all things! I was lucky enough in February 2023 to be chosen by Special Olympics Florida to represent the state in Washington D.C. on Capitol Hill Day to help them secure funding for SO for Unified Champion Schools all over the state and for inclusive health programs. I spoke with 13 congresspersons over two days and it was amazing! I am an anti-bullying advocate, and also a National Ambassador for the Baby Otter Swim School. My goal is to help them to make Florida a zero drowning state and to end bullying forever in schools!
Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis
In 2021, at just 16 years old, I set out to cross the ocean—a daring 80-mile paddle across the Atlantic Gulf Stream. The conditions were relentless, and despite my determination, I didn’t make it to the finish line. At first, I felt like I had failed—failed myself, my family, and most of all, my dear friend Hannah, who lives with cystic fibrosis (CF).
But over time, I realized something powerful: true success isn’t just about finishing. It’s about showing up, pushing limits, and standing for something bigger than yourself. In every stroke I paddled, in every dollar raised, in every ounce of effort, I had already won. I honored Hannah. I honored my family with my courage. And I honored myself by embracing the lesson that the ocean, like life, is beyond our control—we can only meet it with strength, heart, and resilience.
That journey changed me forever. But one thing hasn’t changed—my dream to complete this 80-mile challenge.
And guess what?!
I’m doing it again! On June 22, 2025, I will paddle over 80 miles, from Bimini, Bahamas, to Lake Worth Beach, Florida, in a single night and day—all to raise awareness and support for those living with cystic fibrosis.
But I can’t do this alone. I need your help to make an even bigger impact! Your donation, no matter the size, will support Piper’s Angels Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by CF. Together, we can bring hope, resources, and life-changing support to those who need it most.
Join me on this journey!
If you already support causes close to your heart, I truly understand—but if you can find it in your heart to contribute, even just a little, it would mean the world. Every dollar makes a difference. You can donate through my Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis fundraising page here: The Wave Crushers
Want to learn more about this incredible event? The Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis is an endurance paddle challenge inspired by the healing power of the ocean for those with CF. Founded by Travis Suit—whose daughter, Piper, was diagnosed with CF at age four—this event and foundation provide critical support to families navigating this challenging condition. You can read more about their amazing work at CrossingForCF.com or pipersangels.org.
Thank you for believing in this mission and for helping me turn this dream into a reality—not just for myself, but for the incredible CF warriors like Hannah who inspire me every day.
A Few Of Layla’s Accomplishments
Here are a few of Layla’s accomplishments:
- Baby Otter Swim School Ambassador,
- Puakea Ambassador,
- Miss Arc Broward 2020,
- Special Olympian Athlete Leader,
- Autism Advocate,
- 2020 Junior Olympic SUP Gold Medal Champion,
- 2020 Sunshine State SUP Gold Medal Champion,
- Celebration of Creation Judge’s Choice for 2023 9-12 Grade Category with “Great Horned Beauty” with her brother Indiana with “Love Blooms”
- 2024 Adult Category with “Autumn Waterfall”, & Additional Needs, Inc. Featured Artist for 2024.
Some people who have helped me and my brother find our way and who continue to help the additional needs community!
- Arc Broward – Services and Support to those with Disabilities | Disability Services (arcbroward.com)
- Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding – Bit By Bit – Healing with the help of a horse (bitbybittherapy.org)
- Baby Otter Swim School – Swim School | Baby Otter Swim School | 1-888-794-6543
- Cadenza Center for Psychotherapy and the Arts – Home – Cadenza Center
- Divine Academy – Divine Academy | Private School | 14900 NW 20th St, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028, USA | Neurodivergent Students
- Exceptional Theater Company – Exceptional Theater Company – An all inclusive theater program
- Music Brainworks – MUSIC BRAINWORKS (@musicbrainworks) • Instagram photos and videos
- Piper’s Angels Foundation – Piper’s Angels Foundation (pipersangels.org)
- Special Olympics Florida – Special Olympics Florida
