Cerebral palsy is a physical disorder that, among other things, can cause great difficulty walking and ambulating. But in student-athlete Sean Mitchell’s case, he doesn’t let cerebral palsy stop him from running track in high school.
It’s not clear how Mitchell came to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy, based on the report in the Boston Herald; what is clear, however, is that this young man serves as an inspiration to others in his community.
Online reader ‘bridgeview,’ for instance, writes: “One of the most powerful men in MA, the Majority Leader of the Senate, has CP, the reason you never see him giving speeches. Don’t confuse a different thought methodology with lower intelligence. The sky is the limit for Sean. Go get ’em, kid.”
Clearly, ‘bridgeview’ was inspired to comment based on Mitchell’s determination. It’s tough to read the description of how Mitchell runs: his knees collapse inward, his body leans to the right. But despite being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Mitchell just finished his fourth season of high school track, for a total of 12 seasons spent running through the years.
One of Mitchell’s achievements includes halving his 5k time from one hour to less than 30 minutes. One of Mitchell’s teammates says, “The other guys have become aware of someone who can overcome physical limitations.”
As for Sean Mitchell, he says, “[Running] makes me feel free.”
Source: Boston Herald, “Cerebral palsy can’t stop Mass. high school runner,” 11/13/11
