Courage

I'll be the first person to admit that I love the show American Gladiators. I started watching out of mild curiosity (as well as faint throwback memories to the show's original run in my childhood), but I soon discovered that it is addictive. Very addictive.

Tonight's episode was a little different. I normal wouldn't blog about TV (I'm one of those people who used to claim that I didn't watch TV at all), but this was incredible. There was a competitor on American Gladiators with one leg, John Siciliano (pictured above). Talk about an amazing story-- this man's mother died when he was nine years old. If that wasn't misfortune enough, this college soccer player was on his way to lunch with friends at the age of 21, when they were struck by a drunk driver. It was because of this accident that his leg had to be amputated. As the doctors broke the news, he told his family: "Don't worry. I'll never give up."

Watching him on AG was extraordinary... particularly doing the final challenge, which is an unbelievably difficult obstacle course. Even though he was far behind, even though his prosthetic got stuck climbing the rope net and made it almost impossible to negotiate the rope tightwalk... he kept going. Doggedly, long after his opponent had completed the course, he kept going. It was almost like watching the Olympics. Something about his incredible determination to finish-- and he did finish-- it was inspiring. The phrase "triumph of the human spirit" has become cliché, but I can think of no better words to describe this man and what I saw tonight.

What an inspiration!