1 LEG 1 HEART

Anthony Robles is not amazing because he won a National Championship in wrestling for Arizona State University after posting a 36-0 season. He’s not even amazing because he did that despite being born with one leg. I heard him interviewed this morning on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd and I found him amazing because he got my attention when he said, “People with so-called disabilities just do things differently.” How many times have you heard that? But now I get it and it sucks that it took a national champion to prove this statement’s truth.

Why is there one way to be a champion, a competitor? Why do we apply monikers like “he’s pretty good for a guy with one leg”? He’s not an exception either because ESPN once did a special on another dynamic young man who wrestles with no legs at all. At any rate, none of the typical excuses or conditional applause works for Robles because he’s not good for a man missing an appendage. He’s dominant and a case-study in resourceful adaptation – proof that maladies present opportunities to find new ways to thrive. There’s more than one way to become a victor.