Brandon Beack would not give up. Aiming for the Olympics, the gymnast curved his body in mystifying ways with grace and skill. By the age of 16, he’d earned his Western Province colours for eight years straight. “Nothing was getting in the way,” Beack says. Then tragedy struck. While training, Beack dismounted from the parallel bars, missed the safety mat, and landed on the only concrete area in the room. With a snap, his neck broke. Beack was left paralysed from the chest down with limited arm movement and no hand motion. But his winning streak wasn’t over yet.
“After losing all hope and all of my dreams, I decided to fight back,” Beack says. “I decided not to let my disability define me.” This positive outlook spurred his recovery. Despite expectations, and after what seemed like endless hours of therapy, Beack regained his strength. When function in his hands, arms, and back returned, he redeveloped his purpose to suit his circumstances. In 2015, Beack made his comeback – this time with wheelchair racing.
From not being able to brush his teeth, Beack now holds the record for the South African T52 wheelchair 100m, 200m, and 400m races. This champion doesn’t let anything diminish his determination and rallies all of his power to reach his goals. “I want to inspire people along the way, show them what they’re truly capable of,” Beack says. He displays the power of a positive mindset, where setbacks only offer another challenge of will. If you’ve found your calling, nothing will get in your way.
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