Athletes with CRS

Sometimes I worry because we have always told our son that there isn’t anything he can’t do, yet the doctors have said he shouldn’t do contact sports. This is because of his fused cervical vertebrae and also his kidneys, which are located lower than usual and therefore aren’t protected by his ribs. How are we going to break it to him that he can’t do some sports? However, I am seeing that there are tons of sports he can still do. I have already gotten him into swimming, but there is so much more! Anything is possible.

Kurt Fearnley from Australia has won several marathons, including last year’s New York City Marathon, in the wheelchair division. He also won at the 2004 Olympics for wheelchair racing. (This is not an official Olympic sport yet; this was just an exhibition event.)

Then there is Bobby Martin , who has no legs and plays college football.

Kevin Michael Connolly, is a photographer who also skis. (Note: Connolly never says he has CRS. In fact, he says he has a "spontaneous birth defect." However, I include him here because a lack of legs is sometimes characteristic of people with CRS, mainly from disarticulations.)

Tyler Walker also skis. He says, “I don't want to be viewed as a group of people who are missing limbs and are allowed to do an event just to make us feel good," Walker said. "I would feel really good to be an inspiration because I'm a good athlete or good at skiing, not because I'm in a wheelchair or I mono ski. There's a big difference there.

"When we achieve that, we'll be truly equal."