|
Run time:
21 min.
|
U S A
The Watergate Building took away Willie Stewart's left arm twenty-five years ago. In an instant, the 18-year old went from Virginia State Wrestling Champion to amputee. Now faced with rehab, depression, and discrimination, he fell into a black hole. Years later, he was invited to speak to amputee children. He founded his life' s passion, and what "One-arm" Willie has accomplished after his accident is the real story.So far in his one-armed career, Willie has won 15 national championships in skiing, three world championships in triathlon, and has also won national and world championships in XTERRA. He was the world's first disabled athlete to complete a four-day adventure race. And he's kayaked the extreme rapids of the Colorado River, 200 miles from Lake Powell to Lake Mead.More than that, he is an advocate for the disabled. About one in seven Americans is disabled, and of those, 80 percent are unemployed. Willie is set to make a difference. He directs the PossAbilities program out of Loma Linda University Medical Center. Its goal is to offer disabled individuals a sense of community and provide activities and practical help to integrate them back into life - once again becoming valuable members of our communities. "Armed for the Challenge" features a week in the life of "One-arm" Willie while training for the physically challenged triathlon USA championships. Determined to help others with disabilities, this world-class athlete takes you on a ride through humor and passion, proving that disability doesn't mean inability.
|
1 picture
related links
|
86 people viewed this page
0 people added it to their calendar