Paralympic medalist inspires local school children

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

The students at J.L. Bowler Elementary in Bunkerville, and Hughes Middle School in Mesquite, were treated to a motivational speech by 13-time paralympic medalist Chris Waddell on Monday, March 18.
The presentations were made possible by Gerri Chasko, Director of Community Initiative at Eureka Resorts as part of their Mental Health Initiative.

Waddell is an avid sports enthusiast, especially winter sports. He is also the first paraplegic mountaineer to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. He did this almost completely unassisted

Waddell lost the use of his legs in a skiing accident when he was 20-years-old. With the support of family and friends he decided not to think about what he could no longer do, but what he could do.
“It is not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens to you that is important,” Waddell said. “This is true, not just in sports, but many things will happen to you in your life, that change life as you know it.”

His “Nametags” presentation is all about “how we label ourselves and how others perceive us,” he said.
Wadell has a foundation called “One Revolution” that is dedicated to seeing the world positively, by the use of “Nametags” that define oneself.

“After my accident and long hospital stay, I went back to school in my wheelchair,” Waddell told the students. “People didn’t see me, they saw what they perceived to be me and all the things I could not do. I decided to do anything I wanted to do and not set limitations for myself.”

As he spoke about his accident and hospitalization, the room was very quiet, he had the attention of the kids.

Waddell showed a series of short videos of himself skiing, racing, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and more. He spoke of his feelings and how he overcomes his disabilities, how hard it was to learn to dress himself, getting his pants on legs that didn’t move and how he taught himself to ski again.

Waddell told of all the medals and awards he has won. In 2004 at the summer paralympic Waddell set a world record in distance and time for Sports Disability Classification T53 that still stands today.

He also told about his experience climbing the highest peak in Africa. “The time I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in 2009 I was thought of as a super hero,” he said. “But having to have assistance with 100 feet over a boulder field, very near the summit made me realize, that “failure” (not being able to do it all myself) allowed me to separate from the obligation to be a superhero—to be honest, vulnerable and to find my real power.”

Waddell said, “I want to show the kids how to empower themselves, I have written a book for kids to help them called “Is it lonely to be a four-leaf clover?” a book he brought along to donate to the Mesquite Library.

Waddell received loud cheering and applause from this group of 7th & 8th grade students and some even gave a standing ovation.