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sports: Blake Leeper

normally would not, but he also recog- lives, changing perspectives. I feel like sports to either studying or making art.
nizes a lot of agility and balance with that’s just as big as anything else.”
he was inducted into the boys and girls

his prosthetic legs that an amputee Leeper hasn’t forgotten how the Clubs of America Alumni hall of fame
normally wouldn’t have.
Challenged Athletes foundation made in 2013. “It only takes one time,” he says,

Since 2011, Leeper has lived with u.S. his present path possible. “Now I’m “maybe a kid sees my story, and maybe
Paralympic teammates in Chula Vista, able to go back and help other kids it motivates him to do something with

California, which hosts one of the na- who might be future Paralympians,” his life that’s great.”
tion’s three year-round olympic training says Leeper. his involvement with
Leeper knows what that boost

centers. he misses the way people treat the foundation’s outreach programs from a role model is like. As a little
each other in the South, and he really included travel to haiti after the kid, he adored bo Jackson. Then

misses good Southern food. “I’m born devastating 2010 earthquake. A group Jackson suffered a severe injury and
and raised Tennessee. I’m a country was building prosthetic legs for recent ended up with a prosthetic hip. “As a

boy,” says Leeper. but Chula Vista is the amputees. Leeper helped teach the kid, I didn’t look at the bigger scheme
right place for him right now. besides, amputees how to properly use the of things. I just heard ‘prosthetic,’”

the South is well represented on the u.S. legs. “I’ve been living that my whole says Leeper, “so I thought, ‘he has a
Paralympic team—the 4x100-meter re- life. They’ve seen me. They were very prosthetic? I have a prosthetic! And

lay team Leeper anchored at the World receptive to the information I was he’s doing great things!’ That was all
Championship last year represented able to give them.”
I needed.” It also motivated Leeper to

four different Southern states.
Leeper also gives back to and through try out “bo” as a nickname.
“The best part about training with the boys and girls Club, where he spent Leeper has met his hero twice.

these guys is the mindset everybody a lot of time playing sports, studying, When he was about five, Jackson
has. I’m around olympic and Para- and figuring out he definitely preferred
came to Knoxville for an event at

lympic athletes every single day. I live Thompson boling Arena. Leeper’s
that, train that,” says Leeper. devoting grandparents and aunt wrote to

so much energy and time to something Jackson, asking him to meet their boy.
that ultimately comes every four years “That moment really changed my life,”

can be hard, especially with so little says Leeper. “I have a picture of me
downtime from training. “but that’s right beside bo. I was just cheesing.

the great thing for me, living at the I had ugly bowl-cut hair.” bad hair
training center,” says Leeper. “Every- apparently did not faze Jackson: “he

body has the same dreams, the same was so nice,” Leeper remembers.
goals, and we motivate each other.”
Twenty years later, Jackson sur-

Winning is the motivation to train prised Leeper on national television.
each day. It’s in winning that Leeper Talk show host Arsenio hall had

has opportunities: to travel, to have just delved into Leeper’s childhood
the American flag raised and the an- admiration of Jackson—and then

them played, to represent his country there Jackson was. After a speechless
and himself.
minute, Leeper told Jackson something

There’s another aspect of winning, most people never get to tell their role
too, for Leeper and his teammates.
models. “You inspired me to be who I

“We can show that you can overcome am today,” said Leeper. “You inspired
any challenge in your life. We show we me to go out there and show the world

can compete on the track, but we are that regardless of who you are, regard-
battling a bigger mission off the track.” less of if you have a disability, it doesn’t

on the world stage, Leeper has the op- matter. As long as you battle back and
portunity to demonstrate how strong you give it 120 percent, you can over-

people who have disabilities can be. come any challenge, and I thank you
Athletics is a medium of communication for that bo.”

now, just like it was for him as a child. Qualifying for the 2016 olympic
Now, though, he’s using it intentionally.
games is Leeper’s next challenge.

“It’s a different path,” says Leeper, here he comes, Rio.
thinking of his earlier goal of becom-

ing a surgeon. “I’m not in the class- An Alabama native, Meghan McDonald has lived, hiked,
room, I’m not in the office, I’m not in and gardened in Knoxville for the past three years. She is a

the surgery room. but I’m changing
regular contributor to Cityview.

82 cityviewmag.com maRcH aPRiL 2014