From Tragedy to Triumph

It was the young boy's job to arrive early at the schoolhouse to light the fire to get the classroom warm for the school mistress.  However, on this particular morning, when he opened the pot bellied stove, a spark jumped out and ignited a fire.  The young boy tried his best to stamp out the fire, but to no avail and soon he was engulfed in flames.  Somehow, he managed to escape from the schoolhouse, but not before he had serious burns on his legs.  At the hospital, the doctor told the boy's mother that she should be prepared for the worst, that he might not make it.  Then she was told that if he survived, he would never walk again.  The boy rallied and regained enough strength to return home after several weeks where his mother nursed him.  He was bound and determined to prove his doctor wrong; he would walk again!  He summoned up all of his strength as he dragged himself out the door and across the grass to the wooden fence which surrounded the yard.  Bit by bit, he dragged himself along the fence.  The next day he repeated the exercice.  Feeling started to return to his legs and his form became more and more upright.  With a lot of sweat and tears, he was able to walk without aid.  The doctor said that while he may be walking again, he would never run.  The boy graduated from elementary school and joined the running team in high school.  Bit by bit, he trained and became stronger and faster.  Others said that while he might be running, he would never win a race.  But he proved them wrong by winning not one but several races!  The young boy never gave up hope and lived a long and prosperous life.



Photo courtesy www.allsportsawards.co.uk