Kid with cerebral palsy runs 400 meter event

[Head416]

Yeah, I should not have watched this at my desk! Don't watch this anywhere somebody might try to call in your man card.



Article: Inspiring elementary schooler with cerebral palsy runs amazing 400-meter race | Prep Rally - Yahoo! Sports

Inspiring elementary schooler with cerebral palsy runs amazing 400-meter race

Leave it to an elementary school field day to bring us the most inspiring video of the week.

The young man who refuses to be beaten by his own limitations in the video above is Matt W. (last name unknown), who attends Worthington (Ohio) Colonial Hills Elementary School. Like most elementary schools in America, Colonial Hills has a once-a-year track and field day, and like most kids, Matt was clearly eager to take part.

However, unlike most of his peers, Matt suffers from spastic cerebral palsy, a debilitating condition that limits his ability to undergo rigorous physical exercise of any kind. Incredibly, despite knowing those limitations, Matt decided to run the 400-meter event (roughly quarter of a mile) on the school's 200-meter track.

The result was absolutely inspiring. While all the other students in the event finished far in front of Matt, the student athlete simply refused to stop running, chugging his way around the track on his own, even as it appeared he might collapse.

Naturally, the inspirational Colonial Hills student needed plenty of encouragement, and he first got that from the school's gym teacher, John Blaine, who trotted up alongside his pupil and walked and then ran alongside him for the remainder of the race.

Then, after all the other fifth- and sixth-graders in the race had finished, they joined in, running over to follow Matt around the track and chanting, "Let's go Matt, let's go!" until he finished, spun around, hugged his gym teacher and then accepted a series of high fives from fellow students, all while his mother watched on, sobbing with emotion from the kindness shown to her son.

It's an inspiring video that shows the power of positive thinking and what children can do with a little encouragement. No matter what Matt's athletic future holds, he, his family and his classmates will always have his gritty, inspiring and joyous 200-meter jaunt during an elementary school field day to look back upon and smile.

[85eurocarrera]

If I had 1/2 that kids determination....

Thanks for the post. I'm going to show this to my 6yo who just finished their Olympics at school today.

[Seahawk]

Finishing what you start, do so with the best of your ability, is the surest path to success.

Matt knows.

[ErVikingo]

Wow. Thanks for posting that! God bless