My Heroes Are Different

In many ways, I have always looked at life a little differently than most. Somewhere along the way, probably from finally absorbing the diligent teaching and love of my parents, I came to a place where there was balance and peace in my life. For the most part.

My life is far from perfect, but I generally start every morning being grateful. I still may be trying to shed some pounds to get in to solid racing shape for triathlons, and am fighting metabolism issues, but over all I have my health, my mind, a capacity to think and reason, the ability to express myself, and so many great friends and acquaintances. In short, I found that maintaining perspective and understanding the abundance of what we possess is often over looked. My car may not be overly fancy, but then again, it also does not double as my home, though the clothes, towels, and empty Vita-Coco bottles may tell a different story, and that blanket in the back seat is for wrapping and protecting my tri-bike. But I digress.

One of the greatest gifts I received when I started doing triathlons is discovering the whole world of people who over come such daunting odds. Probably the first I came across was Rudy Garcia-Tolson, who was the first double-above the knee amputee to finish a full Ironman. Even more remarkable, when Rudy was a child, because of the degenerative disease in his legs, he faced the decision of life in a wheel chair or lose most of his legs. I am not even sure if today as an adult 7 times older than Rudy was then I would be capable of not feeling sorry for myself.

The list becomes to long to count in fact. It can be humbling a bit to realize you got beat by a blind man, but it also inspires you to just what we are capable of.

Truly our only limits are the ones we accept for ourselves.

Life tends to get in the way at times... And with so many of these incredible athlete, sometimes you can lose track. There always seems to be someone at a race you never heard of who has an inspiring story. These stories and lives are my fuel. When I have doubts, my damaged knees are not doing to well, I have a mountain of reasons, stories and examples to push along and persevere.

A recent blog by a pro triathlete coming back from an injury got me thinking of about one of my heroes I have not thought of in a while... His name is Byron Breeze Jr. I found him when I first started doing my journey into triathlons and was struggling with a battery of knee issues. Needless to say, he changed my perspective, but in knowing his story, his courage, and his amazing perspective of life, I had forgotten one piece; A documentary was being made about him.

Now it went into Post Production last year, and I am sure with the economy, the gears are running just a little more slowly... but this is a film I have been waiting for over three years now. Not Harry Potter. Not Transformers. The film I am really really dying to come out is about a man's life... Some many would look at with pity, some many would just try to ignore rather than deal or interact, but to me, he has been a hero, not just for his courage to do triathlons with out hands and legs... Yes. He is a quadrapalegic, but because of his perspective of life and how he rises above so much, when others with far more physically capabilities get mired in the minutia of things that just don't really matter.

The trailer of the film can be found here: http://halfasoulja.com/soulja_trailer

And how I first came across Byron was the New York Times article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/nyregion/22training.html

Just be warned. He will change your life. You can not come to know him without changing your view of the world, and your problems may not go away, but in most cases they should become just a little bit lighter