Our Why

Nelson Antonio Reyes is the founder and managing director of The 2 Miles Empathy Project, formerly known as Go the Extra Miles, a nonprofit whose mission focuses on helping underinsured, uninsured, and foreign-born individuals get to and from medical appointments. He leverages a holistic approach to organizational development to assist in maximizing transportation services for disadvantaged community members. Nelson is dedicated to a variety of social causes including health policy, economic empowerment, and health care. 

 

As a strategic managing director, he blends his passion for social impact with life experience to make the world a better place. 

 

A cancer survivor, Nelson was awarded the Yolande Rubianes Memorial Award at Rutgers University, awarded to a graduating senior who in overcoming adversity has achieved distinction as a student. He graduated with honors from the Honors College with a bachelor's in Neurobiology and minors in Chemistry, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Honors. He received his certification in Human Rights from the US Institute of Human Rights and Diplomacy. He was also awarded most altruistic during his participation in the Hackensack Physician Pipeline Program, at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. His passion for addressing disparities can be traced back to his engagements, in hospice, working as a crisis counselor for a national crisis suicide prevention text line, and as volunteer support at NY- Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine Emergency Department. 

 

Nelson entered the nonprofit arena in 2015 serving the underprivileged homeless population of New York City as an empathic volunteer through the organization New York Cares. 

 

His path has been anything but easy. 

  

His drive extends from growing up in an impoverished region famous only for its pollution, Bajos de Haina, a region where more than 100 factories spew toxic fumes into the air, with little access to care, it’s a major industrial hub and port city in the Dominican Republic. “We’ve only made it into the news as one of the world’s most polluted places,” Raised by a single mother in a homogenous environment presented challenges such as food insecurity and home displacement. With nothing but the clothes on his back and a plastic bag filled with toys, he arrived in the US at the age of 10. Soon after he became part of a marginalized immigrant community. He faced unimaginable obstacles early in life that shaped his views of society with a pragmatic sensitivity to the hardships of others.

 

As an adult, facing his own mortality with a life-threatening illness, he faced structural and socioeconomic barriers, one of many being transportation, that prolonged his medical treatment, resulting in an illness diagnosis from which he is now in remission. “Being diagnosed with a condition that at the time was thought to be terminal offered me the opportunity to be taken to the threshold of life, from where I saw that my life could potentially end. From this vantage point, I was forced to think about the value of life in new ways. I began to reflect upon forces larger than myself to bring proportionality to the incredible adversity I faced—cosmic rightsizing. In my quest for survival and self-discovery, the field of medicine opened its doors, and it was a place where I found refuge.” Being able to overcome these challenges reaffirmed his kinship and affinity for marginalized groups in society and re-ignited his interest in medicine both as a vocation and as an opportunity to address social determinants of health. 

 

He firmly believes, "Out of nowhere, out of no way, a way will be made." In the face of adversity, he saw an opportunity to gain new insight and grow. “I began to connect a silver lining through my life experiences. I started engaging in hospice work. Hospice quickly taught me a powerful lesson for someone who couldn’t change what they saw. Perspective is a type of alchemy humans get to play with, turning anguish into hope. I started feeding my life experiences through a vacuum of service.” 

 

His treatment began with a 2 mile walk to catch the 712 bus, which dropped him off at the hospital. These challenges illuminated first-hand how social determinants of health and cultural barriers cause unique difficulties for diverse disadvantaged patient populations due to immigration policies or other socioeconomic factors. “I have gained valuable insight into the structural barriers and policies that block access to care while concurrently giving me practical knowledge with which I am better equipped to help others in similar situations. These diverse experiences taught me the value of being an instigator of change.” Today, his life's mission is to work with populations that society has neglected and continue to provide healthcare access to all. The 2 Miles Empathy Project embodies these sentiments in addressing health disparities. The nonprofit represents a cultural microcosm of the world, and its mission is to work towards increasing the options that facilitate access to care for impoverished populations. “I gained valuable lessons such as the importance of embracing all patients, especially those who do not benefit from traditional societal systems.” 

 

His own personal challenges have provided him with a unique holistic perspective across social, psychological, biological, and spiritual modalities because he knows that no single approach is the right one. “As I continue this exciting and rewarding journey in medicine, I am grateful to be working with a team of incredibly talented, mission-driven, and intelligent individuals. It's a privilege for me to work with such a diverse group. Each contributes a very valuable and unique perspective to our collective consciousness that enhances our capacity to serve with passion and enthusiasm our mission. My own personal hope is to translate my experiences into a successful clinical career that serves the underserved alongside involvement in health policy. I see the role of a physician as multifaceted. I hope someday not only to be able to aid in healing but also fight the injustices I witness. The 2 MIles Empathy Project is a manifestation of my mission to fearlessly challenge inequalities I personally have faced and advocate for change whenever possible. But most importantly together we strive to treat every human soul we encounter with the utmost respect and compassion, recognize their discomfort, and support them through their vulnerable health situation which is what we hope to do by going the extra miles.