COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- There was a special visitor to Ridgeview Elementary on Monday.
Gold Medal-winning Paralympian Rudy Garcia-Tolson spoke to the fourth-graders about his life. Garcia-Tolson was born with Pterygium Syndrome, which resulted in a clubbed foot, webbed fingers on both hands, a cleft lip and palate and the inability to straighten his legs. At 5 years old, he made the decision to amputate both of his legs above the knee.
However, he did not let anything stop him from his dreams. The California native became a runner, cyclist and swimmer, competing at triathlons. At the age of 10, he became the youngest bilateral amputee to complete a triathlon on his own. In 1999, he set his first national record in swimming.
Garcia-Tolson has won two Paralympic Games gold medals, set world records and won numerous awards despite the physical obstacles he has. Students at Ridgeview Elementary have been studying Garcia-Tolson as part of their curriculum and actually got to hear what he had to say.
He does not view his condition as a disability or challenge. He says the real disability is a negative attitude. He spoke to the fourth graders about his journey and what it takes to achieve your goals.
"I'm able to come here, show my legs off and spread my message to the kids. Now, they have a responsibility to tell the other kids. Now hopefully, it's a chain reaction," he said.
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