A few months ago I posted a video from Sports Illustrated about a man (Steve Wampler) suffering from cerebral palsy who climbed El Capitan using only his arms. He was nominated in the Gillette "Greatness" contest, having pulled his body up the cliff in a home-made chair and pulley system.
In the video, he explains that his motivation was raising money for the Wampler Foundation, an organization that provides wilderness programs for children with physical disabilities. The program, of course, is free to participants through sponsorships and donations.
So. How did this come up? I have a cousin with cerebral palsy named Jonah. He's 12, and can barely walk with his braces... Very adventurous and friendly though, and it is tragic to see how little he is exposed to the simple pleasures of life. All that might change now though, with his new scholarship to one of those very wilderness programs! My Aunt is beyond thrilled, and of course so is he. I hope it goes well and I'm sure he will become a different person as the program develops.
I just wanted to put in a special thank you to Steve Wampler and the Wampler Foundation. They do amazing work, and Steve's determination and generousity is an inspiration to all of us.
No comments:
Post a Comment