SUCCESS WITHOUT EXCUSES 1 KYLE MAYNARD REITZ UNION GRAND BALLROOM TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2005 >>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. MY NAME IS EVAN TYROLER, CHAIRMAN OF ACCENT SPEAKERS. ACCENT HAS HOSTED PROMINENT AND CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR OVER 40 YEARS. EARLIER THIS YEAR, ACCENT HOSTED A PRESENTATION TITLED A POWERFUL LESSON IN WHICH HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL DURING THE SPRING BREAK A FEW YEARS AGO AND FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING THREE OF HIS FRATERNITY BROTHERS. JUST OVER A MONTH AGO AS PART OF ACCENT'S SEPTEMBER 11th MEMORIAL SERIES, ACCENT HOSTED FOUR STAR GENERAL FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE GENERAL WESLEY CLARK. JUST LAST WEEK, ACCENT HOSTED JULIET WHITE, PRODUCER AND ACTOR. AND ON NOVEMBER 15th, WHICH IS IN TWO 2 WEEKS, IN THIS ROOM, ACCENT IS HAVING ACTING AGAINST RAPE. BRINGING IN TWO WOMEN NAMED REBECCA AND KELLY TO TALK ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DATE RAPE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES. TONIGHT, ACCENT SPEAKERS GROUP PROUDLY PRESENTED KYLE MAYNARD. KYLE SUFFERS FROM A CONGENITAL DEFECT BELOW HIS ARMS AND KNEES. HE IS A CHAMPION WRESTLER AND CURRENTLY WRESTLES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. DESPITE HIS PHYSICAL DISABILITY, HE IS ABLE TO TYPE 50 WORDS PER MINUTES AS WELL AS WRITING WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. JUST LAST YEAR, HE WAS AWARDED WITH THE ESPY AWARD. RECENTLY, KYLE WAS ON "LARRY KING LIVE", 20/20 AND "GOOD MORNING AMERICA" TO PREVENT HIS NEW BOOK "NO EXCUSES" ON SALE OUT IN THE LOBBY. AFTER HIS SPEECH, KYLE WILL BE SIGNING COPIES OF HIS BOOK. ACCENT SUCCESS IS FUELED BY STUDENT INTEREST. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND GIVE FEEDBACK AT WWW.SG.UFL.EDU, STUDENT ACCENT. OR STOP BY OUR TABLE. 3 ANY PERSON WHO LEAVES FEEDBACK TONIGHT WILL BE ENTERED FOR A LOTTERY FOR A DRAWING AND SIGNED POSTER BY OUR SPEAKER TONIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ACCENT STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK. IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AFTER THE SPEECH TONIGHT, KYLE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. THERE ARE TWO MICROPHONES LOCATED IN THE AISLE. WE ASK NO PICTURES OR VIDEO BE TAKEN DURING THE PRESENTATION. IN ADDITION, PLEASE TAKE TIME TO TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> I PROMISE KYLE I WOULDN'T SPEAK ABOUT THIS BUT I GUESS I'M GOING TO ANYWAY KYLE DECIDED TO STICK WITH HIS PHILOSOPHY OF NO EXCUSES AND DECIDED TO STICK WITH HIS COMMITMENT TO COME OUT TO U F AND SPEAK. WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A VIDEO PROVIDED BY KYLE AND HIS MANAGER. AND THEN BRING KYLE OUT. ENJOY. 4 >> A TIP FROM GEORGIA IN COLORADO THIS PAST JANUARY WE HEARD ABOUT HIS PROMISE AS A TOP HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER. A LOT OF YOUNG WRESTLERS WITH EXCEPTIONAL TALENT AND KYLE HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE FACING EXTRAORDINARY OBSTACLES. KYLE IS OVERCOMING ADVERSITY A WHOLE NEW MEANING. WHEN WE FIRST MET KYLE MAYNARD LAST JANUARY, HE WAS A 17-YEAR-OLD SENIOR IN COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL IN SUBURBAN, ATLANTA, ALSO ONE OF THE TOP FIVE WRESTLERS IN THE ENTIRE STATE IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS. WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED US ABOUT KYLE MAYNARD WAS HE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THIS WITH NO ARMS AND NO LEGS. >> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CONDITION? >> DOCTORS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSES THE DISORDER. IT HAPPENS. IT'S TECHNICALLY CALLED CONGENITAL AMPUTATION. I WAS BORN WITH IT AND PRETTY MUCH A DISORDER, WHERE THE ARMS AND THE ELBOWS AND LEGS END AT THE KNEES. I BELIEVE IT WAS GOD'S WILL, MY OWN PERSONAL 5 FAITH. >> IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A VICTIM, YOU'LL NEED TO LOOK SOME PLACE ELSE. YOU MAY NOT GET UP THE STAIRS EXACTLY LIKE YOU OR ME, BUT HE DOES GET UP THE STAIRS. IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS A STUDENT WHO TYPED JUST LIKE HIS CLASSMATES ON A REGULAR KEYBOARD, JUST FASTER. AND HIS HANDWRITING IS BETTER THAN THAT OF MOST PEOPLE WITH TEN FINGERS. VIDEO GAMES, HE'S A WHIZ AT THAT, TOO. HE USES A MOTORIZED CHAIR TO GET AROUND BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT HE'S EVER USED. HE TRIED PROSTHETIC DEVICES A LONG TIME AGO BUT HE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT >> BEING BORN THIS WAY HAS REALLY TAUGHT ME TO ADAPT, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WOULD. EVERYBODY'S GOT HARPED IN THEIR LIFE I BELIEVE. A BABY HAS TO LEARN HOW TO OPEN UP A JAR, I HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT A DIFFERENT WAY >> YOU DON'T SEE IT AS A DISABILITY? >> NO. I DON'T. 6 I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GET UP AND RUN AROUND. I KNOW I CAN DO AND SAY THINGS ANYBODY ELSE CAN, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN IN SOME CASES >> THE WAY KYLE MAYNARD SEES THINGS, IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO DO WELL WITH NO ARMS AND NO LEGS, HIS GOAL IS SIMPLY TO DO WELL PERIOD WHEN WE FIRST SAW HIM WRESTLE BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 103 POUND WEIGHT CLASS, THE FIRST WORD THAT CAME TO MIND WAS RELENTLESS. HE NEVER STOPS, AND AFTER A WHILE, WE STARTED TO FEEL SORRY, NOT FOR THE GUY WITH NO ARMS OR LEGS, BUT FOR HIS OPPONENT. >> THAT'S THE WAY I GO AFTER GUYS. I ACTUALLY TRY TO SCORE. EVEN IF I'M WINNING BY A LOT. THE TEAM NEEDS IT. >> WHEN HE WAS FIRSTBORN WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO >> KYLE'S PARENTS HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WOULD CODDLE THEIR SON, WHETHER THEY WOULD FOCUS ON WHAT HE COULDN'T DO AFTER A WHILE, THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION IF THEY TREATED HIM AS IF HE WERE TOTALLY NORMAL THAT IS CORRECT HE WOULD START TO SEE HIMSELF THE 7 SAME WAY. >> WE HAVE CHOSEN TO TREAT KYLE JUST AS OUR GIRLS. HE HAS THREE SISTERS. IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO NOT FOCUS ON THE DISABILITY. JUST ON HIS ABILITIES >> IS THERE A TENDENCY OR WAS THERE, IN HIS EARLY YEARS TO WANT TO HELP HIM WITH EVERYTHING? >> THAT WAS ME. I WAS THE SOFTY, SO I WAS GOING TO HELP HIM. HIS DAD SAID, NO, HE'S GOING TO FEED HIMSELF. >> OR GOING TO STARVE. >> HE DIDN'T MEAN THAT. BUT HIS DAD MADE ME REALIZE HE NEEDED TO DO THINGS ON HIS OWN >> SOME THINGS HE HAS TAUGHT HIMSELF. LIKE THE SPOON. I STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW HE CAN FLIP THAT SPOON AROUND LIKE THAT >> WAS THERE EVER A MOMENT YOU SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO BE A VICTIM? I'M NOT GOING TO LET THESE DISABILITIES AFFECT MY LIFE? >> WHEN I WAS YOUNG I PRETTY MUCH MADE THAT 8 DECISION. AFTER SEEING MY FRIENDS PLAY, I WASN'T GOING TO LET THEM HAVE FUN WHILE I WAS GOING TO SIT BACK AND WATCH FROM THE BLEACHERS. IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. FOOTBALL BECAME -- YOU KNOW, WAS MY PRIMARY SPORT IN SIXTH GRADE >> WAIT A SECOND. YOU ALSO PLAYED FOOTBALL? >> I DID. I PLAYED DEFENSIVE LINE PHA*PB, THE RUNNING BACK WOULD COME AT ME I WASN'T ABOUT TO MOVE, I WOULD PLANT MYSELF IN HIS LEGS. >> IT MAY SOUND CRAZY BUT IT ALL MAKES PERFECT SENSE AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND ONE THING, KYLE MAYNARD HAS NEVER BELIEVED THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIM, NOTHING THAT HARD WORK AND THE RIGHT ATTITUDE CAN'T OVERCOME. HIS FATHER WAS A HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER AND THAT'S WHAT GOT KYLE STARTED IN THE SPORT WHEN THE COACH FIRST SAW HIM, HE WASN'T NEARLY AS CONFIDENT AS KYLE WAS >> I SAW HIM, I SAID TO MYSELF, WE REALLY GOT TO WORK IT OUT FOR US ON THIS ONE HERE 9 >> CLIFF RAMOS IS THE HEAD WRESTLING COACH AND STARTED WORKING WITH KYLE AND HIS FATHER WHEN KYLE WAS ONLY IN SIXTH GRADE >> HOW DID HE DO THE FIRST YEAR? >> NOT VERY WELL. TO BE HONEST I DIDN'T THINK HE'D EVER WIN A MATCH. HE DIDN'T WIN A MATCH THE FIRST YEAR >> WAS THERE A SENSE OF, GEEZ, I'M JUST TERRIBLE ABOUT THIS? >> NO. >> YOU NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT QUITTING? >> QUITTING WAS DEFINITELY. IT CROSSED MY MIND. >> WHICH ONLY MAKES SENSE HE LOST HIS FIRST 36 MATCHES. >> I USED 2 1/2 POUND WEIGHTS AND PUT ONE ON EACH ARM, GOT MY FORM WITH A LIGHTWEIGHT AND KEPT MOVING UP >> AND UP AND UP. DURING HIS SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE LIFTED 240 POUNDS 23 TIMES AND WON AN UNOFFICIAL WORLD STRONGEST TEAM COMPETITION IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS. >> 23 REPETITIONS FOR KYLE MAYNARD 10 >> THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYBODY LIKE KYLE. I DEFY ANYBODY ANYWHERE TO FIND A WRESTLER OR AN ATHLETE WHO CAN COMPETE AGAINST ABLE BODIES COMPETITORS AND DO WHAT HE'S DONE >> WHEN WE FIRST MET KYLE, HIS RECORD IN GEORGIA'S TOUGHEST HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING DIVISION WAS 23 WINS, AND EIGHT LOSSES. >> KYLE MAYNARD'S DISADVANTAGES ARE OBVIOUS. IS IT POSSIBLE HE HAS AN ADVANTAGE? ONE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS WRESTLING ABILITY. IN A SPORT WHERE THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO GET AHOLD OF YOUR OPPONENT, HOW DO YOU GRAB A GUY WHO HAS NO ARMS AND NO LEGS. IT MAY NOT BE POLITICALLY CORRECT TO ASK BUT IS IT POSSIBLE KYLE MAYNARD ACTUALLY HAS AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE >> I CAME IN KNOWING HE WAS REALLY STRONG, STRONGER THAN ME. HE'S JUST LIKE ALL MUSCLE. >> YOU HAVE TO REACH UNDER THE ARM. >> THERE ARE SOME ADVANTAGES. >> THE REFEREE WHO WATCHED HIM OVER THE YEARS AS KYLE'S OPPONENTS TRIED TO FIGURE HIM OUT. >> THEY'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET HIS HEAD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW ANY BETTER 11 >> I'D SAY HIS DISADVANTAGES FAR OUT WEIGH THE ADVANTAGES. >> BUT FOR KYLE MAYNARD, WHO IS NOW A FRESHMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, DISADVANTAGES ARE MERELY OBSTACLES TO BE OVERCOME. >> THEY 1ERED WHAT I WAS ABOUT, WHETHER THEY COULD HELP ME OR FEEL SORRY FOR ME. I DON'T WANT THEM TO DO THAT. I WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT ME AS NORMAL >> HE'S STILL WRESTLING ON THE SCHOOL'S IN INTERCOLLEGIATE CLUB TEAM. THE BIGGEST CHANGE ARE AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL, A NOW MUCH SOUGHT AFTER MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND DONE SOME MODELING. THIS IS AN ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH CAMPAIGN. LARRY KING HAD HIM ON HIS SHOW. MAYBE MOST IMPORTANT, HE'S EMBARKED ON A NEW ROMANCE. >> HOW DID YOU MEET KYLE? >> HE CAME TO MY SCHOOL TO GIVE A SPEECH, AND I WAS VERY INSPIRED BY HIS TALK. IT TOOK MY BREATHE AWAY ACTUALLY. >> SHE'S BEAUTIFUL, FUNNY. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. >> HE'S ALSO TAKEN UP JUDO. 12 WHY NOT? >> I LIKE TO COMPETE IN A COMBATIVE SPORT LIKE THAT. >> IT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE HE GOT HIS FIRST MEDAL IN MARTIAL ARTS. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE HE HASN'T LEARNED TO FEEL SORRY FOR HIMSELF >> YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON TRIAL JUDGING ON, ALL BY EXPERIENCES, THE MORE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE, THE MORE PROBLEMS YOU SOLVE FOR YOURSELF AND THAT WILL MAKE YOU A JOY TO BE AROUND EVERYDAY. >> KYLE WRESTLING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, WAS THAT AN OPTION? >> HE WOULD LIKE TO WRESTLE INTERCOLLEGIATELY BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT IN GEORGIA. NEARS JOINED THE WRESTLING CLUB AND STILL WRESTLING AND THEY WRESTLE AGAINST OTHER COLLEGE CLUBS >> WHAT'S HE STUDYING? >> HE'S STUDYING PUBLIC SPEAKING, A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS BIG SURPRISE AND GOES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND SPEAKS AND PUMPS PEOPLE UP. >> SINCE YOUR PIECE, HAS HE BECOME A MINI CELEBRITY OF SORTS OR NO BIG DEAL TO HIM? 13 >> TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. TO HIM, I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN A BIG DEAL. YES, HE HAS. HE WAS A COVER STORY IN USA TODAY. HE'S BEEN IN THE NATIONAL AD AS A RISING STAR. HE'S DOING QUITE WELL. >> I SAID TO YOU THE LAST TIME, THERE'S GOOD AND BAD WITH THIS GUY. THE GOOD IS HE'S SO INSPIRATIONAL. THE BAD IS YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING WITHOUT FEELING LIKE A JERK. >> THANK YOU. >> COMING UP LATER THIS EVENING -- >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KYLE MAYNARD. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I APPRECIATE IT. I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED A THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE ANYONE CAN OVERCOME ANY SITUATION, CONQUER ANY OBSTACLE AND ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. THAT'S THE WAY I TRY TO LIVE MY LIFE. IT'S WITHOUT EXCUSES. THAT NO EXCUSES ATTITUDE HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO ME, THE WAY I WAS RAISED. TO ME, NO EXCUSES IS HAVING A POSITIVE 14 ATTITUDE, WORKING HARD. MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOT GIVING UP ON THE DREAMS AND THINGS YOU HOLD TRUE TO YOUR HEART. EVER SINCE I WAS BORN MY PARENTS RAISED ME WITH THE ATTITUDE THEY WANTED TO TREAT ME WITHOUT A DISABILITY, THEY WANTED TO TREAT ME AS COMPLETELY NORMAL. THAT HAS THE WAY I SEE MYSELF, MY ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS I ASSOCIATE WITH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, MY TEAMMATES, WHO LOOK AT ME AND I TRULY BELIEVE, LOOK AT ME WITHOUT ANY DISABILITY BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I SEE MYSELF BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD HAS A DISABILITY OR OBSTACLE TO OVERCOME. FOR ME IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE VISUALLY-IMPAIRED. YOU CAN LOOK AT ME AND SEE MY DISABILITY. A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE YOU CAN'T, MORE INTERNAL, WHETHER PSYCHOLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL, YOU JUST CAN'T SEE IT. EVERYBODY HAS OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME. THAT'S WHY WHEN I GO OUT AND SPEAK, I TRY TO TEACH PEOPLE YOU CAN OVERCOME THOSE THINGS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS. AND GOAL SETTING, TOO, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HUGE. 15 MY PARENTS HAVE STRESSED THAT FROM THE DAY I WAS BORN. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE TO SET HUGE GOALS. THROUGHOUT MY LIFE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID MY GOALS WERE IMPOSSIBLE, SAID I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE MY DREAMS. I KNOW TRUE IN MY HEART THAT I CAN. AND I WILL GO OUT AND SUCCEED. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, YOU SANE THE VIDEO, I HAD PROPERTY STET TICKS ON, USED PROSTHETIC ARMS AND LEGS. THEY ACTUALLY IMPAIRED ME FROM MOVING AROUND SO MUCH. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY HOUSE, I DIDN'T WEAR THEM, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OLD, GET AROUND EVERY, WHERE CRAWL AROUND ON ALL FOURS, PLAYING WITH MY LITTLE SISTERS, I DIDN'T NEED THAT STUFF. I REALIZED EARLY ON IT WAS JUST THAT COMFORT TO GO OUT IN PUBLIC AND DEAL WITH PEOPLE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT MY DISABILITY. BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WITH THE PROSTHETICS ON, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO MASK ANYTHING. THEN, I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN AND MY MOTHER HAD A SHOW AND TELL CLASS, AND I BROUGHT A TOY GUN IN 16 SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD NOT FLY NOW. MY TEACHER HAD TO PICK ME UP FROM MY SEAT AND CARRY ME TO THE DESK TO SHOW TO THESE KIDS MY TOY. I HAD PROSTHETIC ARMS ON WITH HOOKS AND LEGS AND COULDN'T MOVE AROUND EXCEPT IN A WALKER WITH SOAP HELPING ME. MY MOTHER WAS WATCHING ME FUMBLE AROUND WITH THIS AND I COULDN'T USE IT AT ALL. I DIDN'T NEED THAT EXTRA BAGGAGE. I HAD A SPECIAL SPOON I USED TO 82, STRAP IT A AROUND MY ARM AND SCOOP THE FOOD UP. MY PARENTS THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TEETH ON MY OWN. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE SPECIAL SPOON I LEFT IT EVERY, WHERE FRIEND'S HOUSES, RESTAURANTS, I COULDN'T DEAL WITHOUT THE SPOON. MY DAD SAID THE WORLD WASN'T GOING TO BE TAILORED FOR MY EVERY NEED. HE LOVINGLY SAID ON THE VIDEO I HAD TO LEARN 0 EAT ON MY OWN OR STARVE. HE DIDN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT BUT HELPED MY ATTITUDE. TAUGHT ME HOW TO SWIM WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. DIDN'T HAVE AN EXCUSE. 17 WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I DECIDED TO THROW THOSE PROSTHETICS OFF. I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND ME TO SUPPORT ME. MY GRANDMOTHER WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL EARLY ON IN MY LIFE, TAKE ME TO THE GROCERY STORE AND TAKE ME CART TO CART AND AISLE TO AISLE, MAKE EYE CONTACT, SAY HI TO PEOPLE, SPILL RICE ON THE GROUND SO I COULD VACUUM IT UP OR COOK WITH HER OR DO THINGS. MY GRANDFATHER IS THE SAME WAY. VERY SPECIAL IN MY LIFE. HE TAUGHT ME TO, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME. HE WOULD TAKE ME TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, AND WHEN THE OTHER KIDS ARE PLAYING DUCK DUCK GOOSE, AND I HAD PROSTHETIC LEGS ON I COULDN'T CHASE AND IF SOME KID TAGGED ME, HE'D PICK ME UP AND CHASE AFTER THEM, TOO. HE ALWAYS HAD THAT TYPE OF LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT WAY. MY FATHER, WHO WAS AN EXTREMELY GOOD WRESTLER AND FOOTBALL PLAYER IN MICHIGAN, I WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE HIM. I WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE MY DAD. 18 HE WAS IN THE MILITARY, TOO. ALL THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, I GREW UP WANTING TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY, HE GREW UP SING THAT AIRBORNE RANGER SONG TO ME. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I ALWAYS FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE FUN AND RELAX AND BE WHO YOU ARE. FOR ME, I REMEMBER LIKE ONE INSTANCE, I WAS ABOUT IN TENTH GRADE, IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS WITH SOME BUDDIES AT A CHURCH CAMP, WENT DOWN A COUPLE FRIENDS IN THE WRESTLING TEAM IN PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA, DECIDED TO PULL A PRANK AND THE BEACH WAS PRETTY PACKED, WENT AND PICKED UP TOMATO PUREE SAUCE, TOOK IT OUT TO THE WATER, STAGED A SHARK ATTACK AND YOU CAN GUESS WHAT WE DID WITH THE SAUCE. AND THEY'RE YELLING SHARK ATTACK, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE CAME UP AND ONE GIRL WAS GOING TO CALL 911. I JUST HAD A GOOD TIME. THAT'S WHAT I'M ALL ABOUT. NOT BEING HUNG UP ABOUT ANYTHING IN MY WAY, A SEEMINGLY APPARENT DISABILITY, JUST DOESN'T EXIST TO ME. NOT IMPORTANT. 19 THAT'S WHY, WHEN I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE, I TOLD MY PARENTS I WANTED TO GO OUT AND PLAY FOOTBALL, THEY DIDN'T THINK I WAS NUTS. I HAD PLAYED STREET HOCKEY, DONE SO MANY OTHER THINGS. I JUST HAD A NORMAL LIFE DOING IT. WHEN I TOLD MY PARENTS I WANTED TO PLAY FOOTBALL MY MOTHER WAS WORRIED I WAS GOING TO BE THE WATERBOY. I WASN'T WORRIED, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE THE QUARTERBACK. I CHOSE NUMBER 8 ON MY JERSEY BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WOULD BE THE STARTING QUARTERBACK. WENT OUT TO THE TRYOUTS, DID MY BEST, RAN THE 40 YARD DASH LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. WHEN I WAS READY TO DASH, MY SHIRT CAME OFF OVER MY HEAD, HAD TO THROW IT OFF AND KEEP GOING, I HAD TO FIND MY PLACE AND DO IT LIKE NORM A. I FOUND MY POSITION, ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE. I HAD A BLAST, EVERY SINGLE PLAY, I GOT TO HIT SOMEBODY. IT WAS FUN AND I LIKE TO GET IN THERE AND GET THAT CONTACT WITH PEOPLE. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT. WRAPPING MYSELF UP, STICKING MY HELMET IN 20 SOMEBODY'S LEGS AND TAKING THEM OUT. IT WAS BLAST. IN FOOTBALL, I HAD TEN OTHER GUYS IN MY TEAM. IF I DIDN'T MAKE THE TACKLE, THERE'S TEN OTHER GUYS IN THE DEFENSIVE WHO CAN FILL IN THE SPOT AND DO THE SAME. THEY CAN TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY THEMSELVES. LIKEWISE, I HAD TO TRUST MY TEAMMATES TO DO THEIR JOB. AS DEFENSIVE LINE PHA*PB ALL I HAD TO DO WAS PLUG A 3 1/2 FOOT GAP. THAT WAS MY JOB. AS LONG AS I DID THAT, MY POSITION, I WAS SUCCESSFUL DOING THAT. OTHER GUYS HAD DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES. I HAD TO TRUST THEM. IN SIXTH GRADE I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, MADE THE TRANSITION TO GO OVER TO WRESTLING. IN WRESTLING IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, YOU ARE ALL ALONE. THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE WHO WILL HELP YOU IT IS A ONE-ON-ONE SPORT YOU HAVE THE OPPONENT, AND THE REFEREE. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL DECIDE WHO WILL WIN OR LOSE THE MATCH. 21 IT'S DESIRE. I HAD THROWN THAT THE HARD WAY. MY WRESTLING CAREER DIDN'T START OUT SO GREAT. I WAS 11 YEARS OLD, STARTED TO WRESTLE. I JUST HAD A BLAST PLAYING FOOTBALL. GOT INTO WRESTLING AND LOST THE FIRST 35 MATCHES I EVER COMPETED IN. SO MANY TIMES I WOULD GET CLOSE TO BEATING THE KID, I HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMING UP SAYING THEY THOUGHT WHAT I WAS DOING WAS IMPOSSIBLE, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY I WAS UP THERE I KNEW IN MY HEART I COULD PULL THROUGH AND GET THAT FIRST VICTORY FOR AT THE TIME I WAS FRUSTRATED WITH THE SUPPORT. CROSSED MY MIND. MY PARENTS, THEY TAUGHT ME IF I WAS GOING TO QUIT, IT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON, NOT. I WAS STARTING TO GET CLOSER AT THE END OF MY SIXTH GRADE AND STARTING TO GET CLOSER TO OPPONENTS, AND WIN A MATCH. I THOUGHT I'LL TRY IT SEVENTH GRADE. HALFWAY THROUGH, I HADN'T WON A MATCH. MY DAD TOLD ME, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STOP. 22 AYE I CONTINUED TO TRAIN HARD AND TRAINED HARDER LEARNED MORE MOVES. THE FIRST KID I BEAT I DIDN'T BEAT HIM BY A COUPLE POINTS. I BEAT HIM BY 15. I TOOK THE KID DOWN AND I WAS ON TOP OF HIM AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SO I LET HIM UP AND DID IT AGAIN. I KNEW THE MOVE I USED WAS WORKING SO I DID IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUILT MY CONFIDENCE UP. I WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME DOING IT NOW, TAKING THE KID DOWN, TAKING A LOT OF KIDS DOWN, I WAS WINNING A LOT MORE WRESTLING MATCHES. I WAS LOSING SOME, TOO. I ACCOMPLISHED THAT FIRST GOAL. DURING THAT PERIOD OF 35 MATCHES I SET MAJOR GOAL TO MYSELF TO NEVER BE PINNED. I'VE STILL NEVER BEEN PINNED IN A WRESTLING MATCH TO THIS DAY I LOST PLENTY BY POINTS, ESPECIALLY IN THAT STREAK OF 35. BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN PINNED. I WILL NEVER GIVE UP. THERE'S THREE PERIODS IN A WRESTLING MATCH. THE WAY YOU DIVIDE THEM UP, THEY SAY THE FIRST 23 PERIOD GOES TO THE WRESTLER WITH THE BEST TECH TEAK, SECOND TO THE WRESTLER WITH THE BEST SHAPE, THE THIRD GOES TO THE WRESTLER WITH THE BIGGEST HEART. IF I WAS GOING TO BE PINNED I'M IN THE THIRD PERIOD FIGHTING TO THE LAST SECOND TO GO AND POSSIBLY WIN THAT MATCH. THAT'S WHERE I COULD PULL THROUGH AND WIN. I KNEW MY DESIRE, NO MATTER WHAT, AS LONG AS I PULLED THROUGH TO THAT THIRD PERIOD WOULD PULL ME THROUGH MY GOALS, I HAD WON A MATCH. I COULD HAVE SATISFIED MYSELF BEING AN AVERAGE WRESTLER, COULD HAVE STOPPED THEN, GONE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE BUT I SET ANOTHER GOAL A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME AND THOUGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. I SET A GOAL TO BE A VARSITY WRESTLER. I LOOKED AT THE VARSITY WRESTLERS WRESTLING IN THE SPOT RIGHT LIGHT ONE-ON-ONE WITH A COUPLE HUNDRED PARENTS AND FANS CHEERING FROM THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO BE, I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THAT. THAT'S MY GOAL. 24 I WANTED TO BE A VARSITY WRESTLER. A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT, DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH YOURSELF, YOU WON A COUPLE OF MATCHES NOW, YOU WANT TO BE A VARSITY WRESTLER, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO I DID. SEVEN YEARS LATER, BROKE THROUGH AND GOT THAT VARSITY SPOT. ALL THROUGH MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER I WAS GOING UP AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST GUYS IN THE STATE EVERYDAY IN PRACTICE. MY SENIOR YEAR WE HAD ONE OF THE TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION OF ANY HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS GOING UP AGAINST STATE CHAMP AFTER STATE CHAMP ON MY OWN TEAM TO GET THAT SPOT. BY MY SENIOR YEAR, I GOT THAT SPOT. I THOUGHT, THAT'S MY ULTIMATE GOAL. I WASN'T GOING TO STOP THEN. I WAS ON ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY. IT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR ME. I HAD TO SET ANOTHER GOAL. I WANTED DESPERATELY AT THAT POINT TO BECOME A STATE CHAMPION. THAT'S WHAT CONSUMED ME MY SENIOR YEAR. I HAD TO WORK FOR IT, WORK LIKE A STATE 25 CHAMPION. ABOUT TWO MONTHS OUT BEFORE THE STATE TOURNAMENT, I GAVE UP EVERYTHING. GAVE UP HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, WATCHING TV, ON THE COMPUTER, EVERYTHING. I'D COME HOME AFTER WRESTLING PRACTICE, GO TO SLEEP, WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. I WAS TOTALLY FOCUSED. I HAD SET MY GOAL TO DO THAT. I WANTED TO BE THERE, I WANTED TO BE AT THE STATE FINALS, THE ONE SITTING UP ON THE PODIUM WITH THE MEDAL. THAT WAS MY DREAM. I ENVISIONED IT, KNEW IT WAS POSSIBLE. MY SENIOR SEASON WAS GOING GREAT, BEAT A STATE CHAMPION FROM LOUISIANA, ALABAMA, STATE CHAMPIONS FROM THE SOUTHEAST, STATE CHAMPIONS IN GEORGIA. I THOUGHT I WAS DOING GREAT, FLYING, CRUISING, MY WORK ETHIC WAS GREAT. MY CARDIO WAS NEVER AS GOOD. I WAS THE STRONGEST I WAS, I HAD JUST BROKEN THE WORLD'S STRONGEST TEAM RECORD. PUT UP 240 FOR 23 REPS. I WAS DEFINITELY STRONGER THAN THE KIDS I WAS GOING UP AGAINST, HAD BETTER CARDIO KEPT PUSHING 26 MYSELF. ABOUT THREE WEEKS OUT BEFORE THE STATE TOURNAMENT I WAS WRESTLING ONE OF MY RIVALS IN A BIG MATCH A FRIEND OF MINE AND HE CAME DOWN ON MY FACE WITH HIS FOREARM, CRUSHED MY NOSE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT SEASON, BROKE IT. I HAD BLOOD COMING DOWN THE BACK OF MY THROAT, IT WAS HARD TO BREATHE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT FIRST MATCH, CAME HOME THAT NIGHT, GOT TOUGH LOVE FROM MY PARENTS I TOLD MY MOM I HURT MY NOSE, SHE WAS LIKE, GO TO BED. YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT, JUST WAKE UP IN THIS MORNING, YOU'LL BE FINE. WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY A TWO DAY TOURNAMENT, WENT TO WRESTLE AGAIN, MY FACE, I COULD BARELY SEE BECAUSE MY NOSE HAD SWOLLEN SO MUCH OVERNIGHT. WRESTLING NORMALLY, YOU CAN WEAR A MASK TO KEEP KIDS FROM PUSHING ON YOU IF YOU'RE INJURED. LIKE A HURT CHEEKBONE OR NOSE, ANY INJURY ON YOUR FACE, YOU CAN WEAR A MASK TO KEEP KIDS FROM PUNCHING AT IT. FOR ME, I'M DOWN ON ALL FOUR, MY OPPONENT IS ALMOST FOUR FEET TALLER THAN ME. 27 I'M LOOKING UP TO THEM. I COULDN'T WEAR A MASK BECAUSE IT BLOCKED MY VISION. I WASN'T GOING TO GIVE UP. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY DAD HIS SENIOR YEAR. HE HAD BEATEN ALL THE STATE CHAMPIONS IN THE SURROUNDING WEIGHT CLASSES, DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT BECAUSE ALL THE KIDS HE FACED ON THE WAY UP THERE, HE HAD BEATEN ALL THESE KIDS, HAD A GREAT YEAR, BROKE HIS NOSE AT THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT, DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE STATE'S. I WASN'T GOING TO HAVE THAT. I WANTED TO BE THERE, TO BE ON THAT PODIUM AT STATE. I TOOK SECOND PLACE AT THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT. MY FIRST MATCH, I WAS GOING UP AGAINST THIS KID. IN A TOURNAMENT, THEY SEED ONE OF THE TOP GUYS AGAINST ONE OF THE LOWEST GUYS FIRST. THIS KID KNEW HE WASN'T GOING TO BEAT ME, SO RIGHT AWAY AS SOON AS THE WHISTLE BLEW, HE TOOK A DIVE RIGHT AT MY FACE, NEARLY KNOCKED ME 28 UNCONSCIOUS. TOOK ABOUT 30 SECONDS, TOOK A TIME-OUT, GOT BACK INTO THE RING, PUT THE KID ON HIS BACK RIGHT AWAY AND TOLD HIM, I HAD ONE SHOULDER UP, I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU PIN YOURSELF BECAUSE I HAVE SIX MINUTES TO TORTURE YOU NOW AND I DID. HE WAS CRYING BY THE TIME HE LEFT. TOOK SECOND PLACE AT THAT TOURNAMENT REGION, QUALIFIED FOR STATE. AT THAT POINT, I'D ONLY HAD A COUPLE DAYS LEFT TO TRAIN, I WAS TRAINING SO HARD, STAYING AFTER PRACTICE, SOMETIMES TWO HOURS, JUST TO RUN SPRINGS TO THE POINT WHERE I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH MY DAY AT PRACTICE UNLESS I COULDN'T PICK MYSELF UP FROM RUNNING SPRINTS ON ALL FOURS OFF THE WRESTLING MAT TO WALK TO MY WHEELCHAIR TO RIDE HOME. I HAD TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF CARDIO ENDURANCE, NOBODY I WAS GOING TO FACE WAS GOING TO HAVE BETTER CARDIO THAN ME. I HAD TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF WORK ETHIC JUST TO BE SATISFIED. RIGHT BEFORE THAT STATE TOURNAMENT, A WEEK LEFT TO TRAIN, I LEFT EVERYTHING ON THE MAT. EVERYTHING I COULD, I POURED EVERYTHING I 29 COULD INTO THAT -- PREPARING FOR THAT TOURNAMENT. TRAINING SOMETIMES THREE HOURS AFTER WE ALREADY HAD A TWO OR THREE HOUR PRACTICE. PUSHED MYSELF AS HARD AS I COULD, SO I KNEW I WOULD HAVE NO REGRETS. I WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE AND EXCUSE AND GIVE UP AND QUIT BECAUSE OF A BROKEN NOSE. WHY WOULD I GIVE UP AND QUIT ON MY DREAMS AT THAT POINT WHEN I WAS SO CLOSE. IT WOULD HAVE SET ME BACK, YEAH, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ADVERSITY IN MY WAY, GOTTEN OVER THAT, AS I HAD GOTTEN OLDER, MORE ADVERSITY MIGHT COME MY WAY, I KNEW I COULD OVERCOME IT AND KNEW I COULD STILL BE ON TOP OF THAT PODIUM. AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT, WON MY FIRST MATCH, THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ONE OF MY TOUGHEST OF THE DAY, SECOND MATCH, BEATING THE KID WITH 30 SECONDS LEFT, UP BY THREE POINTS AND THE ONLY TIME THAT SEASON ENDED UP GOING ON MY BACK, WASN'T PINNED, THE KID SCORED ENOUGH POINTS TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND AND I WAS PUT IN THE BACK, SO THE BEST I COULD PLACE WAS THIRD. CAME THROUGH, ENDED UP PLACING TOP 12 AT THE TOURNAMENT. WON TWO MATCHES IN OVERTIME I HAD TO FIGHT 30 HARD FOR. BUT I KNEW AT THAT POINT THAT I HAD DONE EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY COULD HAVE TO SUCCEED. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO MEASURE ANY TYPE OF FAILURE BECAUSE I DIDN'T FAIL, DIDN'T GIVE UP AND QUIT, WOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY TO QUIT AND STOP AT THAT POINT. BUT I WASN'T ABOUT TO DO THAT. I HAD TO KEEP ON PUSHING. BECAUSE I LEFT EVERYTHING OUT THERE ON THE MAT I DIDN'T MAKE AN EXCUSE AND GIVE UP AND QUIT. I COULDN'T HAVE FAILED. THE ONLY TIME YOU TRULY FAIL IN LIFE IS WHEN YOU REFUSE TO STAND UP, DUST OFF THE DIRT AND KEEP ON GOING, BECAUSE YOU CAN. I DID 35 TIMES MY FIRST YEAR WRESTLING. I WOULDN'T BE HERE SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY OR CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE THE BOOK OR THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES I'VE HAD WITHOUT THAT, IF I HAD STOPPED AT THAT POINT, GIVEN UP OR QUIT. SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE FACE SOME TYPE OF ADVERSITY, THEY DON'T THINK THEY CAN OVERCOME. I'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY REMARKABLE THINGS. THINGS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE OVERCOME DOING IT. ANYTHING IS TRULY POSSIBLE. 31 ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO IF YOU SET YOUR GOAL AND GO UP THERE AND TRY TO ACHIEVE IT AND PUT ALL OF YOUR BEST EFFORT FORTH, THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN FAIL. YOU CANNOT FAIL. YOU MIGHT LOSE, YOU MIGHT LOSE 35 TIMES, EVEN IF YOU'RE SHOOTING A BASKETBALL 35 TIMES IN A ROW, IF YOU FAIL THAT MANY TIMES, IT STINKS IT'S NOT FUN. BUT YOU CAN KEEP ON GOING. AND YOU CAN IMPROVE. WRESTLING TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT THAT TYPE OF WORK ETHIC, SOMETHING I WILL CARRY WITH ME THE REST OF MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN TRULY BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THE SPORT. SO MANY OTHER THINGS HAVE COME MY WAY BECAUSE OF IT. THE BOOK MADE IT TO NUMBER 12 ON THE "NEW YORK TIMES." "NO EXCUSES." TRY TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE OUT TO PEOPLE. I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME NOW AND TELL ME THE BOOK HAS CHANGED THEIR LIFE IN SOME WAY IN THE STREETS, I'VE HAD PEOPLE E-MAIL ME AND TELL ME THE BOOK HAS CHANGED THEIR LIFE EVEN TO THE POINT 32 DETERRED THEM FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE. TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF IMPACT ON SOMEBODY IS THE MOST SPECIAL THING ANYBODY COULD EVER ASK FOR. FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I'VE BEEN TRULY BLESSED. AS I SAID EARLIER, I GREW UP WANTING TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY. IT WASN'T NECESSARILY IN THE CARDS FOR ME. BUT WHEN I WAS SITTING IN THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, I WAS TRAVELLING ALL DAY, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I WAS SITTING IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, MAN, I'D LIKE TO BE HOME RIGHT NOW, DOING MY OWN THING, TRAINING AND GETTING READY. I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO BE OUT HERE DOING THIS, STARTING TO HAVE THAT MINDSET MYSELF. I HAD MET TWO SOLDIERS BADLY WOUND IN IRAQ, HAD BEEN IN A CONVOY IN AN RPG SET THEIR TRUCK ON FIRE, THEY HAD BEEN SENT TO RECOVER AND LAID IN BED TO RECOVER AND WATCHED THAT SPORTS SPECIAL AND SAID THAT'S WHAT GOT THEM UP TO GO BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES. FOR ME TO HAVE THAT IMPACT ON SOMEBODY, I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS. IT WILL NEVER SINK IN FOR ME. I'VE BEEN ABLE 33 TO GROW UP AND REALIZE MAYBE BY GROWING UP AND TRYING TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, THAT'S WHAT I CAN DO, SPREAD THAT MESSAGE AND NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND THE NORMAL WAY, SO TO SPEAK. BUT, TRULY, I BELIEVE IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO, WHETHER IT'S A SPEECH, A MEDIA APPEARANCE, SOMETHING WITH A BOOK A WRESTLING MATCH, REGARDLESS, I TRY TO GO OUT AND CHANGE ONE PERSON'S LIFE. IF I CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT ONE PERSON'S LIFE IN EVERYTHING I DO, ANY TRIBULATION I FACE UP TO THAT INTEREST, TO HELPING THAT PERSON, WAS WORTH IT. THAT'S THE SAME THAT GOES FOR ANYBODY IN HERE. EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO UP, HELP SOMEBODY ELSE, MAKE AN IMPACT IN SOMEBODY'S LIFE. I'VE HAD TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS HERE WITH ME TODAY. THEY'VE HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON MY LIFE. JOEY, A SOPHOMORE HERE AT FLORIDA, JOEY'S ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS SINCE SIXTH GRADE. THESE GUYS TREATED ME AS NORMAL. NOW, WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER SOMEBODY WITH SOME TYPE OF PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, ACCEPT THE FACT 34 THAT THAT PERSON MIGHT WANT TO BE TREATED AS NORMAL. FOR ME, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I SEE MYSELF. IF MY FRIENDS HADN'T SEEN ANY SAME WAY, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE MY LIFE WOULD BE. I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WITHOUT GOD, WRESTLING, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE. MY PERSONAL CHARACTER HAS BEEN BUILT UPON THE PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES I'VE BEEN AROUND, THE THINGS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, ALL BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE. MY WRESTLING COACH GAVE ME THE GREATEST GIFT TO GO UP AND COMPETE AGAINST THE VARSITY LEVEL ATHLETES AND NOT HAVE FEAR TOWARDS MY SITUATION. I WAS A VARSITY 103 POUNDER. THAT'S ALL THERE WAS TO IT. I WASN'T A TOKEN MEMBER OF THE TEAM, I WASN'T GOING TO BE ACCEPTED AS THAT. AND NOW BECAUSE OF THAT, I'VE BEEN TRULY BLESSED AND HAD TO GO OUT AND HELP PEOPLE. THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENON AT EVERYDAY, I WAKE UP, LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND THANKS GOD FOR THE BLESSINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN 35 MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT MORE. I HAVE PLANS OF COMPETING IN BRAZILIAN JUJITSU. I DON'T WAKE UP LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRACTICE BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO COMPETING IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TAKING ON THE WORLD TITLE. THAT WOULD BE PRETTY COOL. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE MY EYE SET ON. THAT'S HOW I STAY MOTIVATED AND PUSH TOWARDS MY GOALS. I SET SOMETHING BIG AND SET SMALL GOALS AND WITH THAT BIG GOAL, I KEEP MY IONS THE BIG PICTURE. NOT EVERYDAY WILL BE A GREAT DAY. YOU CAN'T WAKE UP AND THINK IT'S GONNA BE. IF YOU HAVE YOUR EYE SET ON SOMETHING BIG, I GUARANTEE WITH THAT NO EXCUSES ATTITUDE, YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU WILL ACHIEVE IT. IF YOU DON'T AND PUT ALL YOUR EFFORT FORTH, YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE. THAT'S THE MESSAGE I TRY TO GET ACROSS TO PEOPLE, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING 36 HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME QUESTION AND ANSWER, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. ALSO, A LITTLE WRESTLING DEMONSTRATION UP HERE, SHOW YOU SOME OF MY FAVORITE MOVES. AFTERWARDS, I'LL BE OUT, THE BOOKSTORE IS SELLING MY BOOK, I'LL BE GLAD TO AUTOGRAPH A COPY FOR YOU. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: TELL US WHAT- >> WHAT'S THAT? >> YOUR FIRST VICTORY >> MY FIRST VICTORY. IT FELT ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE, THEY STOPPED THE MATCH BECAUSE I HAD BEATEN THE KID, IT WAS 15 POINTS AND THEY STOPPED IT BY A MERCY RULE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT HAD HAPPENED AT THAT POINT. THAT MATCH, IT WAS MATTER OF CONFIDENCE, A MATTER OF BELIEVING IN MYSELF AND THAT I COULD BREAK THROUGH. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT FOR ME. 37 >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TAKEDOWN? WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WRESTLING MOVE? >> I DEFINITELY LIKE, ANY TIME I CAN GET AHOLD OF THE KID'S LEGS AND KEEP HIM PINNED DOWN TO THE MAT. ONE OF MY FAVORITES TO GELD AHOLD OF IS KIND OF MALICIOUS A MOVE I CALL THE JAW BUREAUCRACY. I INVENTED IT, IN WRESTLING ONE OF THE OLDEST SPORTS IN THE WORLD, COULD GO BACK TO LIKE TWO CAVEMEN GRAPPLING WITH EACH OTHER, TO COME UP WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW MOVES ME AND MY COACH DID, TAKE THE END OF MY ARM, GET AHOLD OF THE JAW LINE AND JUST CRANK IT AND TRY TO SEPARATE THE JAW LINE FROM THE HEAD. YEAH. >> >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: HOW DID YOU BALANCE ACADEMICS AND YOUR WRESTLING ACTIVITIES? >> IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ACADEMICS, THIS IS WHEN I SPEAK TO KIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I STRESS THE PLANS OF GETTING INVOLVED IN ATHLETICS, BECAUSE WRESTLING FOR ME, 38 THAT WORK ETHIC CARRIED OVER TO MY GRADES, FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL WITH A 3.7 G P A, ENOUGH TO GET INTO U G A, WHICH IS GETTING PRETTY COMPETITIVE NOW. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: YOU TALK ABOUT GETTING IN A TOURNAMENT WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG. DID YOU LOOK AT A DEFINING POINT OR MOMENT OR SOMETHING YOU SAW THAT REALLY GAVE YOU THAT DETERMINATION, THAT REALLY CHANGED YOUR OUTLOOK ON THINGS? >> THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD QUESTION. A LOT OF -- ONE INSTANCE IN PARTICULAR THAT STANDS OUT TO ME IN FOOTBALL, I WAS -- IT WAS IN SIXTH GRADE. THE OPPOSING FOOTBALL COACH TOLD MY COACH HE WOULD TAKE IT EASY ON THE LITTLE GUY. THAT JUST -- THAT WASN'T GOING TO FLY. MY COACH WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? RUN IT RIGHT AT HIM. THAT FIRST PLAY THEY RAN IT AT ME AND I GOT THE RUNNING BACK FOR A TWO-YARD LOSS SO THEY DIDN'T RUN IT AT ME THE REST OF THE GAME. THERE WAS ALWAYS THAT TIME PEOPLE WOULD DOUBT ME IN SOME WAY. 39 SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT ABOUT STUFF, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO RESPOND, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO ATTACK AT SOME POINT LIKE THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SHOW PEOPLE BY ACTIONS AND NOT BY WORDS I CAN GO OUT AND DO THOSE THINGS. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: DID YOU LIKE TO -- (INAUDIBLE)NOT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY ELSE? >> HOW ARE THINGS WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND? >> ACTUALLY, I WAS IN -- WITH ELIZABETH IS THE GIRL ON THE TAPE, WE WERE TOGETHER FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS. IT WAS LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP W ALL THE TRAVELLING, I DO I GO UP AND STAY WITH HER JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND. WHEN THE BOOK CAME ALONG, I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO DEVOTE. IF I'M GOING TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP, I'M GOING TO DEVOTE MYSELF TOTALLY TO THAT MY SOCIAL LIFE WAS JUST DESTROYED BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO USE A GHOSTWRITER WITH THE BOOK, I WANTED TO GET OUT IN THERE MY OWN WORDS. I WAS HOLED UP IN MY DORM ROOM ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AND DIDN'T REALLY TALK TO ANYBODY, SO I'M 40 TRYING TO GET THAT BACK IN ORDER NOW. >> AUGH. >> HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WAS GROWING UP WITH THIS AND DEALING WITH IT TODAY. ? >> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE I THINK-FOR ME, I LOOK AT IT MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THE FACT THAT IT'S JUST ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO OUT AND ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THAT PERIOD THAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH THE 35 LOSSES, IT WAS VERY CENTRAL TO ME. I DEFINITELY QUESTIONED GOD AND WHY HE WOULD PUT ME IN A SPORT LIKE WRESTLING WHERE I NEVER KNEW IF I COULD BREAK THROUGH AND SUCCEED. FIRST KNEW MINE HEART I COULD AND I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY FAITH. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT, TOO. >> HAVE YOU FOUND SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO YET? >> THERE'S ALL KINDS OF STUFF -- I ALWAYS TRY TO FIND WAY WITH STUFF. LIKE DRIVING FOR INSTANCE WAS A DIFFICULT THING WHEN I FIRST STARTED TO DO IT. 41 THE FIRST CAR I EVER DROVE WAS A VAN, AND THE THING, IF YOU SAW THIS, IT WAS CRAZY. IT HAD TOUCH-SCREEN COMPUTER FOR LIKE THE LIGHTS AND IGNITION AND EVERYTHING. IT HAD A JOYSTICK OPERATED AND THIS HUGE V-10. I'M TRYING TO DRIVE THIS HUGE V-10 WITH A JOYSTICK. I KNEW THAT I JUST -- I WASN'T GOING TO LIKE -- I DIDN'T WANT TO CONTROL LIKE HAVING A COMPUTER GOING DOWN THE HIGH WAY I HAD TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY AND TRY TO DO THINGS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. I'VE GOT A JEEP CHEROKEE. I WASN'T GOING TO DRIVE A VAN. I JUST GOT THE PEDALS RAISED UP AND THAT'S THE ONLY ADAPTION I HAVE ON IT. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: THANK YOU FOR COMING KYLE. I WAS WONDERING HOW DID YOUR SISTERS REACT? LIKE DID THEY ALWAYS SEE YOU AS THE NORMAL ANNOYING BIG BROTHER. I HAVE A BIG BROTHER AND HE WAS ALWAYS PROTECTIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HOW DID THEY REACT AND THINGS LIKE THAT? 42 >> THEY PROBABLY THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT TOO PROTECTIVE A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT I AM THAT WAY. THEY SEE ME AS COMPLETELY NORMAL. I THINK THAT THAT'S -- REALLY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN LIFE THAT I'M PROUD OF, IT'S THE FACT I HAVE SUCH STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THAT CAN SEE ME THAT WAY ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DATING, TOO. IMAGINE BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WHERE IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY ELSE AS INFERIOR, THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK. THE ONLY WAY IT WORKS FOR ME IF I'M ON A COMPLETELY EQUAL TIER AS THE PERSON I'M IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH. THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: BEFORE LIKE WHEN YOU WOULD BE PLAYING FOOTBALL OR A WRESTLING MATCH, LIKE WOULD THEY BE LAUGHING AND PICKING AT YOU, THINKING THEY WOULD GET AN EASY WIN? >> YEAH. I'D BE HOPING THAT WERE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE THINKING IT'S GOING TO BE EASE CIRCUMSTANCE THEY'LL COME RIGHT IN AND 43 LOCK UP, THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS LOCK UP RIGHT AWAY. A LOT OF KIDS WILL TRY AND PUSH ON MY HEAD AND STAY BACK. THAT WAS THE STRATEGY OF KIDS WHO KNEW HOW TO WRESTLE AGAINST ME, BUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY, THE KIDS THAT THOUGHT THEY'D BE CONFIDENT AND THROW ME ON MY BACK, I'D LIKE GO WITH IT FOR A SECOND AND LET THEM THROW ME AROUND AND JUST -- YOU KNOW. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: AS A CHILD GROWING UP, WAS IT HARD GETTING ACCEPTANCE FROM YOUR PEERS? LIKE, DID THEY UNDERSTAND OR HOW DID THEY REACT? >> MY MOM WAS HUGE IN-SHE WAS REALLY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE VAIN, BUT SHE WAS HUGE INTO HAVING ME BE LIKE SOCIALLY ACCEPTED, BEING WELL-DRESSED AND WELL MANNERED, HAVING LOTS OF FRIENDS. WHEN I WAS LITTLE SHE'D ALWAYS INVITE KIDS OVER TO MY HOUSE. I MET JOEY, ACTUALLY, HERE, LIKE BECAUSE MY MOM WAS TALKING TO HIS MOM AT THE POOL AND TRYING 44 TO HOOK ME UP WITH NEW FRIENDS AFTER WE JUST MOVED DOWN TO GEORGIA. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SCHOOL, I'VE GOT 80 WRESTLERS AT MY BACK, SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY TROUBLE THERE. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: WITH WRESTLING WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO TO GET HYPED UP BEFORE A MATCH? >> I REALLY TRIED TO -- IT'S HARD THING TO EXPRESS. YOU HAVE TO FLIP A SWITCH. I TURN INTO A DIFFERENT PERSON. I'M NOT A NICE PERSON ON THE WRESTLING MAT. I GO OUT THERE, MY GOAL IS TO WIN. IF I A HAVE TO PUT THE PERSON IN ENOUGH PAIN THEY WANT TO END THE MATCH EARLY, I GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AGAIN. DURING YOUR SPEECH, YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOW WHEN YOU -- WHILE YOU WERE GROWING UP A LOT OF PEOPLE TENDED TO LOOK DOWN AT YOU AND YOU WENT INTO 45 THINGS WITH THE MENTALITY THAT YOU WERE EQUAL, IF NOT BETTER, AND THEN YOU END UP SUCCEEDING AT THE END BECAUSE OF THAT. I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT SAME TOPIC, ABOUT NOW. I ASSUME YOU STILL PROBABLY EVERYDAY PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR YOU AND I IMAGINE THAT CAN GET ANNOYING. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT? THEY'RE PROBABLY PRETTY INSISTENT HOW THEY WANT TO LOOK AT YOU AND THINGS LIKE THAT >> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN LIGHT OF ALL THE MEDIA STUFF THAT'S HAPPENED LATELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID, I'VE SEEN YOU ON TV. YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING AND DO THAT. I DO A LOT OF FLYING WHEN I TRAVEL. I WAS IN L.A. THE OTHER WEEK AND THIS LADY SAID SHE HAD SEEN ONE OF THESE PIECES AND SAYING HOW INCREDIBLE IT WAS AND THIS AND THAT AND SAYING HOW SHE WANTED TO STRAP ME INTO THIS LIKE H A N I B E L AISLE WHEELCHAIR TO GET ME ON THE AIRPLANE. I SAID, I'LL BE FINE. >> SHE SAID, NO 46 IT'S A LIABILITY, YOU HAVE TO GET ON THERE I SAID, ALL RIGHT, LADY AND JUMPED ON TO THE SEAT. PEOPLE -- I TO ACCEPT THE FACT EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT RESPONSE. LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE BEING COMPASSIONATE AND I TRY TO STRESS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE THAT PHYSICALLY APPEAR DIFFERENT WANT TO BE TREATED THE SAME WAY AS ANYBODY ELSE. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: THANK YOU. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF QUALITIES A COACH WOULD HAVE. YOU INSPIRE PEOPLE, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, MOTIVATE PEOPLE. DID YOU EVER CONSIDER COACHING >> I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN COACHING AS SOON AS I POSSIBLY CAN. JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, I WANT TO DEVOTE MYSELF TO DOING THAT. RIGHT NOW, I HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS GOING ON. AS SOON AS I CAN, I WANT TO GET TRAINED HAVE THE SAME IMPACT MY COACH HAD ON ME. 47 >> SINCE YOUR TIME ON OPRAH YOU HAVE BEEN A PERSONAL ROLE MOD DOLE ME. I WANT TO KNOW WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS? >> THE PEOPLE I REALLY LOOK UP TO ARE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDED A SERVICE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, THE FACT THAT I TALKED ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE AND REACHING OUT TO SOMEBODY. I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT SERVED IN IRAQ, THE SOLDIERS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA AND FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, PEOPLE WHO GO OUT AND TRY TO GIVE OF THEMSELVES TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE, THAT'S WHO REALLY INSPIRES ME. I'VE GOTTEN MEET A LOT OF REALLY COOL PEOPLE. AFTER A WHILE, YOU KNOW, AFTER HANGING OUT, HANGING OUT WITH GUYS LIKE TOM BRADY OR ANDY RODDICK OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, FOR A WHILE, YOU START TO REALIZE, THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE, TOO. THEY'RE AWESOME PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE PEOPLE JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE. THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME ARE DEFINITELY THOSE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE A SERVICE, TO HELP PEOPLE. 48 >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT-I KNOW YOU SAID YOUR DREAM WAS TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY OR ARMY. OR DOING ANYTHING IN A CIVILIAN CAPACITY? >> I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO SPEAK TO VETERANS AND THOSE WOUNDED COMING BACK. IT'S A BIG GOAL OF MINE TO GET INVOLVED IN IT. >> AS HARD AS YOU WORKED LIKE TRAINING, YOU HAVE TO GET TIRED. HAS THERE BEEN A POINT YOU'VE BEEN JUST I WANT TO NOT DO THIS TODAY, I WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? HOW DO YOU GET PAST THAT? >> YOU KNOW, IT'S KEY. A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT ONE QUOTE IN PARTICULAR THAT RUNS THROUGH MY MIND, IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE ATHLETICALLY TRAINING FOR SOMETHING, WHEN YOU'RE PUSHING YOURSELF, THEN YOUR MIND TELLS YOUR BODY THAT YOU'RE TIRED WAY BEFORE YOUR MUSCLES ARE. YOU CAN PUSH YOURSELF SO MUCH FURTHER AS LONG AS YOU CAN CONTROL IT UP THERE AT THAT POINT, IT'S ALL MENTAL. YOU CAN TAKE YOURSELF TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEVEL AS LONG AS YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT IT'S VERY MENTAL AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR BODY IS 49 IN CONTROL AND NOT YOUR MIND. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED THINGS OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT MOST OF US IN HERE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN A LIFETIME, SO WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF 10 OR 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD FROM NOW? WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? >> HAVE A LOT OF GOALS RIGHT NOW, STUDYING BROADCAST JOURNALISM, HOPING TO OPEN UP FITNESS CENTERS, DO WELLNESS TV AND RADIO, GET PEOPLE IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT. I'VE ALSO GOT GOALS TO DO INTERNATIONAL NEWS AND POLITICS. AND WHO KNOWS WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO. BUT IT'S WHAT-IT'S KIND OF MY HOBBY. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: HOW'S IT GOING? BACK FOR ONE MORE. I WAS JUST WONDERING, I KNOW IN THE VIDEO, IT SHOWS YOU GETTING AROUND JUST FINE THE WAY THINGS ARE AND TALK ABOUT HOW YOU REFUSE TO GET PROSTHETICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU FELT LIKE YOU'RE FINE LIVING IN THE WORLD AS IT IS. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR FEELINGS ARE ON ALL 50 THE INITIATIVES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF MAKING THINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO DISABLED PEOPLE >> YOU BEING A DISABLED PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH KIDS WITH DISABILITY. I TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE, ACCESSIBILITY IS NOT JUST GETTING AROUND BUT SETTING GOALS AND WORKING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THERE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY CAN DO. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S SETTING GOALS, YOU KNOW, KNOWING YOUR LIMITS. NEVER STOP TRYING TO BREAK THOSE LIMITS, KNOWING THOSE BOUNDS. FOR ME, I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO MAKE MY OWN ACCESSIBILITY WITH EVERYTHING. SO, IT'S DIFFERENT. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF AND AN ADVOCATE FOR PUSHING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TRY OUT AND GO OUT AND ACHIEVE REGARDLESS OF THEIR OBSTACLES THEY FACE. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: THANK YOU AGAIN. 51 >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: YOU SEEM LIKE SUCH A DRIVEN PERSON AND YOU'RE -- YOU FIND THAT TO BE A GOAL. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE MISSED SINCE YOU'VE BEEN SO CONCENTRATED ON THINGS THAT YOU WONDER MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE GONE INTO IF YOU HADN'T BEEN SO SET ON ONE GOAL? >> I KNOW THAT THAT'S MY PASSION, SOMETHING I'LL BE COMPETING IN THE REST OF MY LIFE, YOU KNOW. THAT'S NOT TO SAY I DON'T LIKE HAVING A GREAT TIME GOING OUT WITH FRIENDS AND HAVING FUN BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT SOCIAL LIFE, TOO. AWE KNOW, THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT IT'S -- IT'S ALL ABOUT, HAVING FUN IN THE END. IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING FUN WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING. FOR ME, WRESTLING AND TRAINING IS JUST -- IT'S AS MUCH FUN AS HANGING OUT. SO, I DEFINITELY TRY TO ENJOY EVERYTHING THAT DO IT EVEN IF YOU DON'T ENJOY DOING SOMETHING, IF YOU SMILE, IT MAKES IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER. 52 >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI. I, LIKE, YOU HAVE CHALLENGES, TOO. MY QUESTION IS ON THE DAYS THAT -- DO YOU EVER HAVE THOSE DAYS YOU REALIZE IT, DAGGONE IT, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T ACT -- YOU TRY NOT TO ACT LIKE YOU HAVE ANY CHALLENGES IN LIFE, YOU DON'T PERCEIVE YOURSELF AS BEING THAT. I DO THE SAME THING FOR MYSELF, BUT THERE ARE DAYS ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE REALITY HITS YOU, YOU GO, CRUD, HERE'S A CHALLENGE. WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET YOURSELF OVER SOMETHING THAT THE REALITY HITS YOU, I CAN'T DO IT THE WAY EVERYBODY ELSE DOES IT. ? >> THE THING THAT I KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY AROUND AN OBSTACLE, ALWAYS SOME WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. I BELIEVE IT. MAYBE I'M ONLY 19 YEARS OLD AND HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED LIFE AS MUCH AS A FEW OTHER PEOPLE HAVING SIMILAR CHALLENGES HAVE. I TRY TO NOT GET BROUGHT DOWN BY THE LITTLE DAY-TO-DAY THINGS, BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THEM. YOU KNOW, IF, FOR ME, OPENING UP A COKE CAN IS 53 TOUGH. AND YOU KNOW, BUT I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS AROUND ME, WHO WOULD GRAB IT AND POP IT OPEN IF I DON'T HAVE A CAN OPENER AND HELP ME OUT AND NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM DOING IT. THAT'S WHERE IT'S -- I JUST TRY TO STAY FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT I CAN DO OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT ARE MORE DIFFICULT. I'VE ALWAYS HAD A QUOTE I TRY TO LIVE BY, TOO, I SAID, IT'S NOT WHAT I CAN DO, IT'S WHAT I WILL DO PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY WILL DO SO MUCH. UNTIL YOU DECIDE YOU WILL GO OUT AND WILL SUCCEED, YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: HI, KYLE. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE SAME CONDITION AS YOU DO? >> I HAVE GOTTEN A CHANCE. ACTUALLY, SOME ARE KIDS THAT HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN WRESTLING, AND LIKE SHARED SOME TIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S BEEN VERY COOL WITH ALL THE MEDIA STUFF 54 TO GET A CHANCE TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY SIMILAR AND HAVE A POWERFUL STORY TO TELL. IT'S VERY INSPIRING TO ME TO HEAR THOSE PEOPLE AND BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BE A VOICE FOR THEM >> IS THERE A CONGENITAL AMPUTATION FOUNDATION? >> THERE ARE A COME ACTUALLY. ACTUALLY, CONGENITAL AMPUTATION IS MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK. ABOUT 1 IN EVERY THOUSAND BABIES HAVE SOME TYPE OF AMPUTATION AT BIRTH, WHETHER FINGER OR TOE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT FOR FOUR LIMBS TO BE AFFECTED, IT'S ABOUT ONE IN EVERY COUPLE MILLION OR SO. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: I THINK BACK TO FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN I BEGAN WRESTLING AND I WAS A LOT SMALLER AND STARTED WEIGHING 140 POUNDS I GOT BEAT UP ON BY OLDER KIDS AND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS I WENT FROM 140 FOUND 185 POUNDS AND GAINED ALL THAT WHAT I CONSIDERED MUSCLE, I WAS LIKE ABOUT 5% BODY FAT AT ONE POINT. ONE OF THE THINGS MY COACH ALWAYS TOLD ME ABOUT WAS THIS GUY, HE HAD NO ARMS AND HE HAD NO LEGS, AND HE SAID, YOU CAN'T DO IT, THINK OF 55 THIS GUY, THINK OF WHAT HIS DISADVANTAGES ARE. FIRST TOOK YOU AND I WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND THANK YOU AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL THROUGHOUT MY WRESTLING CAREER >> THANK YOU. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR -- I FINALLY REALIZED AND TOOK A STEP BACK AND THOUGHT, I'M NOT DISADVANTAGED. THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY I HAVE AND I USED YOU TO GET THROUGH MY WRESTLING CAREER, ALSO AS A PERSONAL LEVEL OUT OF CURIOSITY, ONE THING I DO, SOMEONE SAID HOW YOU DO GET HYPED UP? ONE THING I DO IS LISTEN TO MUSIC. THE TERM THEY DUBBED IT IS HOW DO YOU GET CRUMBED BEFORE YOUR WRESTLING MATCH SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU HOW YOU GET CRUMBED BEFORE WRESTLING? >> IT DEPENDS. I LIKE MOSTLY LIKE ROCK, STUFF LIKE THAT, JUST TO GET PUMPED UP, SOMETIMES AND RAP TO FEEL FAST. >> AUDIENCE MEMBER: THERE WAS ONE KID IN MY TEAM WHO LISTENED TO CLASSICAL. I TRIED THAT AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR ME 56 >> I'D PROBABLY BE ASLEEP BY THE TIME I GET OUT THERE I APPRECIATE THAT A LOT. THANK YOU. THE THING ABOUT WRESTLING, AND DAN G A B L E AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION, ONE OF THE GREATEST COACHES OF ALL TIME SAID ONCE YOU'VE WRESTLED, EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE BECOMES EASY. THAT TO ME HAS BEEN THE TRUTH AND SOMETHING I CAN LIVE BY. I THINK I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU GUYS A COUPLE OF WRESTLING MOVES IF THAT WAS COOL. WE GOING TO DO IT? >> I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN SHOW US A FEW MOVES? >> YEAH. >> CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE-DO WE HAVE A PORTABLE MIKE OR SOMETHING? A REGULAR MIKE? COME DOWN HERE. >> I WILL SHOW YOU SOME OF THE STUFF I LEARNED AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN LATER ON. ONE OF MY PROBLEMS WHEN I FIRST STARTED WRESTLING IS THE FACT I DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY 57 MOVES AND COULDN'T MODEL MY STYLE AFTER SOMEBODY ELSE. A LOT OF TIMES AS A SIXTH GRADER I HAD TO LET THE KID TAKE ME DOWN AND TRY AND LET THEM HIT ME BEFORE I COULD DO ANYTHING. IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE MOVE AND WHEN IT WORKED IT WOULD DO WELL AND SCORE POINTS. IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO WIN UNTIL I WAS HALFWAY THROUGH SEVENTH GRADE. THIS WAS THE MOVE HERE. THEY'D TAKE ME DOWN. GET THAT ARM SUNK IN DEEP. I'D GRAB HIM AND SWING THE BODY DOWN. [ APPLAUSE ] >> RIGHT OFF THE WHISTLE, A LOT OF TIMES, WHICHEVER LEG HE'S PUTTING OUT, THAT'S THE LEG I'M THINKING HAS THE MOST WEIGHT ON IT, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LEG, I'M GOING TO SNAP HERE. [ APPLAUSE ] A I'VE GOT TWO FAVORITE MOVES. THE FIRST ONE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE FLASHY. IF HE SPRAWLS OUT ON TOP OF ME AND THROWS IN AN UNDERSTANDS HOOK RIGHT HERE, SINKS HIS ARM IN DOWN, I POP MY HEAD HERE AND THROW MY BODY 58 WEIGHT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> DURING MY SENIOR YEAR I HAD, I THINK IT WAS CLOSE TO 100 TAKEDOWNS. AND THE MOVE THAT I HAD PROBABLY 70% OF THOSE TAKEDOWNS OFF OF WAS FROM A SIMILAR POSITION, IF HE SPRAWLS OUT AND PUTS BOTH ARMS OVER TOP, OVERHOOKS RIGHT HERE, JUST HOOK THEM IN RIGHT HERE. I CAN FEEL HIS WEIGHT ON TOP OF ME, GET HIM TO PUSH IN TOWARDS ME AND THROW HIM BACK. [ APPLAUSE ] IF HE'S DOWN HERE, A LOT OF TIMES, THIS IS ONE OF MY TOUGHEST POSITIONS TO COMPETE AT THE FIRST THINGS THAT I DO, COME IN HERE, BREAK HIM DOWN, FLATTEN OUT THE HIPS, BE ON TOP, GIVE HIM A LITTLE LIKE PRESSURE IN HIS RIBS RIGHT HERE, HE HOLD HIS ARM A LITTLE BIT, JUST RIP THAT BACK AND TAKE THE OTHER ARM AND RAKE THE FACE. [ APPLAUSE ] THIS IS A MOVE I TALKED ABOUT, THE JAW BREAKER. IF HE'S DOWN HERE, IF I GET AHOLD OF HIS HEAD RIGHT HERE IN THIS POSITION, TAKE THE JAW LINE RIGHT HERE AND TAKE MY ARM RIGHT UP ALONG THE JAW LINE AND CRANK IT ACROSS TO THE POINT SOME KIDS 59 WILL FLATTEN OUT AND I TAKE THE ARM AND THROW HIM. OTHER KIDS WOULD FLATTEN OUT, I'D PRETTY MUCH SIT AND THERE HOLD ON IT TO UNTIL I ACTUALLY HAD ONE KID PASS OUT AND GIVE UP. IN THE JUJITSU, THAT'S PRETTY COMMON BUT IN THE WRESTLING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TOO OF. HE DIDN'T WANT GO TO THE MAT, HE WAS JUST DONE RIGHT THERE ESCAPING FROM THE BOTTOM, INITIALLY, IT WAS TOUGH BUT I BEGAN TO REALIZE THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE ANYBODY TO HOLD ME DOWN. WHAT I HAD TO DO WAS GET IN HERE, CLOSE THE SPACE A LITTLE BIT, GET CONTROL OF SOMETHING RIGHT HERE, AND ROLL OVER LIKE THAT. ONE OF MY FAVORITE ESCAPES I THREW, GET AN ARM UP OVER TOP, START TO PUSH IN HERE, HE THROWS HIS ARM IN OVER TOP, COMING THROUGH AND THROW HIM THAT WAY. A LOT OF STUFF LIKE THAT. [ APPLAUSE ] THE JUJITSU, I'LL SHOW YOU TWO OF MY FAVORITE ONES FAST. NOT THAT BAD, I'M NOT GOING TO GO ALL -- PUTTING -- THERE'S NO PINS. IT JUST GOES BY SUBMISSION, WHOEVER SUBMITS 60 OUT FIRST. FOR HIM, IF HE EVENS HIS BACK HERE, I'M TAKING HIM DOWN, COME OUT, TURN AROUND THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT. IF I'M IN THIS POSITION HERE, I'M GOING TO STAY ON TOP OF HIM, KIND OF PLAY WITH HIS FACE A LITTLE BIT UNTIL HE POP HIS ARM UP TO TRY TO GET ME OFF, CLOSE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HIS ARM AND HIS THROAT RIGHT HERE, COME OVER IN A MOUNTED POSITION AND SLIDE THROUGH AND ESSENTIALLY PUT PRESSURE ON HIS HEAD THERE TO CHOKE HIM OUT WITH THE ARM. IN WRESTLING? A LOT OF TIMES, ONE OF MY BIGGEST WEAKNESSES WAS WHEN THE GUY, HE WOULD PUT PRESSURE ON MY HEAD AND TRY TO STAY AWAY. FOR ME, I KNEW AT THIS POINT, I DON'T HAVE THE REACH BUT I KNEW HE'S NOT GOING TO SCORE, I JUST KEEP TRYING TO POUND IT OFF AND KEEP THE PRESSURE ON HIM UNTIL I GET IN ON HIM. IF HE'S GOING TO KEEP BACKING UP, I'M GOING TO DODGE STRAIGHT AT A CIRCLE. EVENTUALLY THE REFEREE WILL CALL STALLING AND HE HAS TO COME IN AND MAKE A MISTAKE AND I'LL GET AHOLD OF 1 OF HIS LEGS AND TAKE HIM DOWN. 61 ONE MORE SUBMISSION I'LL SHOW YOU BEFORE WE GIVE HIM A BREAK. I START RIGHT HERE, IF I GOT THE ARM CLEARED UP OVER TOP OF MY LEG, IT'S REAL SUBTLE, JUST TAKE THE ELBOW RIGHT HERE, THROW IT UP OVER TOP AND PUT PRESSURE RIGHT HERE WITH THE LEG. PUT PRESSURE ON THE ELBOW, KEEP IT THERE. WHEN YOU DO IT QUICK, THE GUY'S GOING TO REACT REAL FAST. YOU GET RESULTS AN A PRETTY QUICK SUBMISSION. I'VE BEEN HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH THAT. IN WRESTLING, STARTED OUT WITH IMMEDIATE SUCCESS IN THE GEORGIA STATE TOURNAMENT FOR THAT IN MY WEIGHT CLASS, WALKED IN WITH ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE AND ENDED UP TAKING SECOND PLACE. I PLAN ON GOING A LONG WAY WITH THAT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> AS WE SAID, KYLE WILL GO OUT TO THE LOBBY AND SIGN COPIES OF HIS BOOK ON SALE. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. 9:10.