Austin was born with Familial Spastic Paraparesis, a genetic neurological disorder that affects the function and use of his legs. He exemplifies the mission of The Ability Experience, overcoming the unique adversities and challenges of having a disability. One way he chooses to overcome adversity and push himself further than most people – with or without a disability, -ever will, is through his efforts as a Paralympic athlete.
The first Paralympic Games took place in 1960 in Rome, Italy, featuring 400 athletes from 23 different countries, and they have since taken place every four years. The birth of the Paralympic games is largely accredited to Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a physician who pioneered unconventional methods of care and rehabilitation for the paralyzed population, a population that at the time was usually kept in hospice style care and made to feel comfortable as their health deteriorated, rather than being integrated into society in any way. His methods, which turned away from sedation and towards physical activity, crafting and competitive sporting activities boosted patients’ self-esteem and helped to restore their personal dignity. Ludwig was ahead of his time in this thought process, but his ideas back then would align closely with the ideals of The Ability Experience today; if you support people with disabilities and give them a place to shine, not only do their individual lives improve, but society improves and becomes a better place.
Austin hopes to compete for a fourth time because the water is where he has always felt most like himself, and where he knows he can show the world that with a disability, you can still achieve anything you set your mind to. Whether or not he medals this time around, he hopes to grow through this experience and continue to broadcast the mission of The Ability Experience across the world stage, supporting people with disabilities and reiterating that the abilities of all people should be recognized and valued.
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