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Questions:
- Where do you get your inspiration?
- What gives you the drive to move forward when you come up against powerful odds?
- Who has inspired, or actively encouraged, you to break through something that you thought you might not be able to overcome?
Overcoming Cancer, Politics and War, Handicaps, and Mistakes:
I have been blessed in the past year to come in contact with some of the most inspiring people I have ever known…
- There are those who have fought their way back from cancer. Through this trial, they overcame a battle with treatments and medications that sometimes seemed more painful than the disease. Now they are back in the game, leading their families, their businesses, and others around them.
- There are new friends in Bosnia who lived through a horrific war that we heard very little about in the U.S. For over two years their city, and their lives, were under siege. It has been over 5 years and you can still see the remains of destruction all around where they live. But, these students stand with the firm conviction that the best place for them today is right there, in the city of Sarajevo, where they intend to build a brighter future.
- There are business owners who have come back from many disasters. Some have had half or more of the businesses stolen from them. Others have been caught up in natural disasters. Still others have made bad decisions, which cost them nearly all that they had built up over the years. These people are successfully rebuilding their businesses and their lives because they refused to give in.
- Then there is that wonderful speaker and piano player, Alvin, from up in Canada.
These people have all inspired me. And I hope the story below will inspire you to reach new heights in your personal and professional lives.
Kyle Maynard:
Kyle Maynard, a 103-pound wrestler from Collins Hills High School in Suwanee, Georgia, is nominated for the 2004 ESPY Award in the category of "Best Athlete with a Disability." Maynard completed his senior year with a stellar 35-16 record. He finished in the top 10 at the state championships and placed 12th at the Senior Nationals. These achievements are truly astounding when you consider that Kyle was born only with three joints, a neck and two shoulders (he has no elbows or knees), and wrestles without the use of any prosthetics.
Success didn't come easily for Kyle. Even with his coach refereeing one of his matches, he didn’t win a match for two years. Many looked at him like some sort of freak, while others tried to deter him by telling him what they thought he could do. Determined, he intensely replied, "It's not what I can do, it's what I will do!"
Relentless, Kyle continued to drill hard. He and his coach spent countless hours devising and improvising positions that Kyle could capitalize on. Together they invented moves such as the "jawbreaker" and "buzz saw." Kyle also hit the weight room, where he was fitted with chains to hoist free weights. Incredibly, by his senior year, he was chest pressing three times his body weight! (He's currently pressing over 400 pounds).
Wrestling isn't the only thing Kyle does well. Academically, he's a 3.7-student with impeccable handwriting and typing skills. Kyle doesn't think in terms of limitations, only accomplishments. He compensates for missing limbs with a tenacious drive to succeed, and the heart of a champion. A smiling Coach Ramos noted, "I've never seen a human being inspire more people. Win or lose, every person in the auditorium gives Kyle a standing ovation after his match."
The story of Kyle Maynard transcends the sport of wrestling. It sends a message of hope to those who must persevere in overcoming insurmountable odds. What many of us would deem a handicap, this courageous young man has used as a gift. A gift because he's able to do things that ordinary people can't. The one thing you won't notice when you get to know Kyle is that he doesn't have any limbs. The one thing you will notice is his passion for life. He stands just over two feet tall, but is truly a giant amongst men.
Read more about Kyle by visiting kmaynard.com.
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