As a future Physician Assistant (PA), I found ESPN’s story on 23-year old Garrett Holeve to be awe-inspiring. Despite the fact that he has Down Syndrome, Garret has used mixed martial arts (MMA) to find himself and become a champion MMA fighter; he is the epitome of what someone can do if only given a chance.
At first glance, Garrett is viewed as a kid with Down Syndrome – an outcast…not normal. Like so many others with intellectual and physical disabilities, labels are easily placed upon those who are different. When asked ‘What do you think the world sees when they look at your son?’ Garrett’s father replied, ‘Unfortunately, I think they just see a kid with Down Syndrome.’ What an amazing world it would be if we could all look past what is visible on the outside and see the inner qualities that each person possesses.
Sports such as MMA can offer immeasurable physical, cognitive, and affective benefits for individuals with disabilities. While training for success in the MMA ring, Garrett lost 40lbs and in his own words has become a “rock-solid muscle guy”. Although he has a delayed reaction time, significant modifications to his training regimen are minimal thereby allowing Garrett to participate in competitions just like everyone else.
Garrett’s story filled me with mixed emotions and left me believing that anything is possible. My take-away from Garrett’s story is to see the good in people and to never put limits on someone with a disability.
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