2019 Tony Awards: Ali Stroker makes history as first actress who uses a wheelchair to win award

By Michael Rothman

On Sunday night, Ali Stroker won her first Tony Award for her acclaimed role in the musical "Oklahoma!"

Stroker was the first actress who uses a wheelchair for mobility to be nominated for and win a Tony.

She told the audience the win was for "every kid who is watching tonight, who has a disability, who has a limitation or a challenge" and every kid "who has been waiting to see themselves" up on that stage.

Congratulations to @ALISTROKER on her first #TonyAwards win for Best Featured Actress in a Musical! @TheTonyAwards #OklahomaBway pic.twitter.com/JMKVF2vhUe

— Rodgers & Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! (@OklahomaBway) June 10, 2019

The New Jersey native, 31, was paralyzed at the age of 2 in a car accident. After her run on "Glee" a few years back, she became the first actress who uses a wheelchair for mobility to appear on Broadway, starring in "Spring Awakening" in 2015.

Then came her nomination and win for "Oklahoma!"

We cay-n't say no to Ali Stroker!#TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/d8f80ux4tP

— broadway.com (@broadwaycom) June 10, 2019

On Sunday night, she also thanked her friends -- and especially her parents -- for teaching her to "use my gifts" to help and inspire others.

"We did it!" she exclaimed to close her speech.

The newest Tony Award–winning actress is Ali Stroker! Congratulations for your win for Featured Actress in a Musical in @OklahomaBway. #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/Xrd109nVik

— The Tony Awards (@TheTonyAwards) June 10, 2019

Stroker spoke to ABC News a couple years back about her rise to stardom on Broadway and "turning this limitation that a lot of the world sees and making it into an opportunity."

"The Broadway opportunity, there were a lot of young people who would come and say they didn't think it was possible [performing on that grand stage with a disability], and now I know it is," she said in 2017.

Those words were never truer than Sunday night.