>> FINALLY TONIGHT, AMERICA STRONG HE RECEIVED A TERRIFYING STRONG HE RECEIVED A TERRIFYING DIAGNOSIS AS A CHILD AND WHILE DIAGNOSIS AS A CHILD AND WHILE IT INITIALLY SLOWED HIM DOWN HE IT INITIALLY SLOWED HIM DOWN HE DID NOT LET IT STOP THEM. DID NOT LET IT STOP THEM. DID NOT LET IT STOP THEM. >> HE IS A TYPICAL TEEN AND MANY DID NOT LET IT STOP THEM. >> HE IS A TYPICAL TEEN AND MAN >> HE IS A TYPICAL TEEN AND MAN WAYS BUT ONE. WAYS BUT ONE. I WASN'T BORN LIKE THIS FREIGHT I WASN'T BORN LIKE THIS FREIGHT I HAVE PARALYSIS OF THE LEFT LEG I HAVE PARALYSIS OF THE LEFT LEG . . HE HAS A CONDITION CALLED FROM A . HE HAS A CONDITION CALLED FROM HE HAS A CONDITION CALLED FROM VIRUS HE CONTRACTED WHEN HE WAS VIRUS HE CONTRACTED WHEN HE WAS JUST SIX FRED HIS MOM STILL GETS VIRUS HE CONTRACTED WHEN HE WAS JUST SIX FRED HIS MOM STILL GET JUST SIX FRED HIS MOM STILL GET EMOTIONAL WHEN SHE TALKS ABOUT EMOTIONAL WHEN SHE TALKS ABOUT THAT DARK TIME. THAT DARK TIME. I WANT TO TAKE HIS PAIN AWAY SO I WANT TO TAKE HIS PAIN AWAY SO BAD. BAD. >> EVEN WHEN HE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THEY SAID THAT HE WOULD AND THEY SAID THAT HE WOULD NEVER WALK UNASSISTED AGAIN. NEVER WALK UNASSISTED AGAIN. HE WAS JUST LIKE THAT HE WAS JUST LIKE THAT DETERMINATION KEPT HIM FOCUSED DETERMINATION KEPT HIM FOCUSED ON HIS PLAN TO NEVER GIVE UP ON HIS PLAN TO NEVER GIVE UP SPORTS. SPORTS. CAN KEEP MY. CAN KEEP MY. THEN LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST THEN LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THAT 15 -YEAR-OLD TRIED THEN LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THAT 15 -YEAR-OLD TRIE TIME FOR THAT 15 -YEAR-OLD TRIE TRACK AND FIELD. TRACK AND FIELD. >> SO FAR, I THINK HAVE BROKEN THE 100, 400, AND 800 RECORD AT THE 100, 400, AND 800 RECORD AT MY SCHOOL. MY SCHOOL. TO GET HIS TEAMMATES AT TO GET HIS TEAMMATES AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL TO GET HIS TEAMMATES AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOO MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOO SAY HE CONTRIBUTED SOMETHING SAY HE CONTRIBUTED SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THE TEAM. SPECIAL TO THE TEAM. >> AT WHICH HE IS LIKE 20 IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. >> YESTERDAY WHEN HE COMPETED IN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. >> YESTERDAY WHEN HE COMPETED I >> YESTERDAY WHEN HE COMPETED I THAT WISCONSIN STATE THAT WISCONSIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT IN A FIELD OF THAT WISCONSIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT IN A FIELD O CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT IN A FIELD O A DOZEN OTHER WHEELCHAIR A DOZEN OTHER WHEELCHAIR SPRINTERS GREAT THE 800 HE SPRINTERS GREAT THE 800 HE FINISHED FIRST. FINISHED FIRST. IN SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT CELEBRATED.