WEBVTT - My Favorite Athlete With No Legs - Blake Leeper 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.760 What's more frustrating being born without legs or being a 0:00:03.760 --> 0:00:04.720 black man in America. 0:00:04.840 --> 0:00:08.280 Ooh, that's a good win because they actually are close 0:00:08.320 --> 0:00:09.120 to being equal. 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:21.680 Cash Show, Cash Show, to Show. Welcome to Toss Show 0:00:22.800 --> 0:00:25.520 another episode. How you doing, Eddie? 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:26.720 I'm doing great. How are you? 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:30.720 I'm well? Thank you? You got any cool new VIDs 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:31.640 I need to check out? 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:33.400 No no videos this week? Huh? 0:00:34.520 --> 0:00:38.000 Your only job is to give me one interesting video 0:00:38.040 --> 0:00:39.879 that I may have missed. It has slipped through the 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:42.000 cracks that I didn't see in you and there's none 0:00:42.040 --> 0:00:45.880 this week. What that's the beauty of Toss Show. Apparently 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:49.559 some weeks no videos. So anything going on in the 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:51.800 world that I need to know about? Now? 0:00:54.560 --> 0:00:55.080 All right? 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:59.480 Well I'm caught up. Let's talk sports. Got my favorite 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.800 pair of Olympian on today, and I'm excited about that. 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:07.200 Let me tell you something about US athletes that compete 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:11.479 under a different countries flag. This happens all the time 0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:16.240 because they're not good enough to compete under the American flag. 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.920 They don't make the team, so they go to another country. 0:01:19.000 --> 0:01:21.280 I want you to know that you're a trader, okay, 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:25.520 and that I pray that you get injured, and then 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:29.520 you find out how great the US healthcare system really is. 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:34.720 I'm only half joking. I understand why US athletes, you know, 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:37.200 go to other countries. It's a great opportunity. But I 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.639 just think it's I don't know, it's not. I'm always 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:42.600 like these they're Americans. Here's what. Here's my stance like 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:44.600 on California. You know how long you have to live 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:50.400 in California before you're supposed to get a California driver's license? 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:53.120 Ten days. Don't look it up, Eddie, I've already done it. 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:55.720 And let me tell you something. These people that come 0:01:55.800 --> 0:02:00.360 here live here ten years and refuse to get a 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.200 licencause they don't want to pay the high insurance, car insurance, 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:06.680 all of that nonsense, registration. It's a mess. So I 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:09.280 don't really believe the number of the people that the 0:02:09.280 --> 0:02:12.239 people that actually live here is way higher. They don't 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:15.320 even get me started on the illegals. For the record, 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:20.800 I love illegals. Oh that's how I feel about tennis players. 0:02:21.440 --> 0:02:24.480 All these Russians, they all grew up in South Florida. 0:02:24.560 --> 0:02:27.720 They all trained in South Florida at tennis academies in Florida. 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:31.760 I think if you play tennis in Florida for ten days, 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:37.360 you're now a US citizen. This is where I'm just 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:42.040 tired of all these other countries getting credit for these 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:46.840 great athletes that only became great athletes because they trained 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.520 in America. I think it's a decent I think it's 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:51.560 a decent point. I think I can actually get some 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:55.840 of my Red State Republican fans to get behind me 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:58.360 on this. In twenty twenty eight, the Olympics are here 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:01.800 in la I kind of excited to see what happens. 0:03:02.240 --> 0:03:04.920 Our freeway burnt down last week, so I can only 0:03:04.960 --> 0:03:09.600 imagine how flawless building these Olympic villages is going to go. 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:12.560 I also want to compete in twenty twenty eight, I'll 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:16.560 be fifty three. I want to compete in surfing. Now 0:03:16.680 --> 0:03:21.320 I'm certainly not a professional surfer, but there's got to 0:03:21.360 --> 0:03:26.400 be some you know, Jamaican Bob Sled type scenario where 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:30.160 there's a country that would let me compete. And I 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:34.480 don't know what the qualifying is to get into surfing 0:03:34.480 --> 0:03:36.440 in the Olympics, but this is what I need to happen. 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:40.400 So you know, I was born in Germany. McIntosh shortened 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:42.880 to Toash. I was originally. I think my family was 0:03:42.920 --> 0:03:45.240 in Ireland. At some point, I think they changed the 0:03:45.320 --> 0:03:48.040 name and fled the country. I don't know what they did, 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:53.480 probably something awful. Doesn't matter. Find a country some landlock 0:03:53.720 --> 0:03:59.560 hell hole, and then I'll be your flag bearer. Well, 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.960 I certainly want to do the opening ceremony. That's my 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:06.720 favorite part of the opening ceremony is the small countries 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:10.120 that have like two people or one person competing. Great. 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:13.200 There's always in some event that nobody gives a shit about. 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:16.960 By the way, the Olympics, the Summer Games should have 0:04:17.000 --> 0:04:21.360 two events. It should just have running and jumping the end. 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:24.000 That should be the Olympics. We don't need all the 0:04:24.120 --> 0:04:26.360 every year. Oh did you hear that they're adding touch 0:04:26.360 --> 0:04:32.000 whiffle ball? No? I didn't hear about touch whiffle ball. 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:36.240 But by the way, and running running fine, I'm running 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:41.240 should be in the Olympics because it makes sense. But 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:45.479 running in general is the dumbest thing on the planet. 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:49.440 I honestly can't think of anything worse. I've never You're 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:50.159 a runner, ready? 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:52.320 I mean I used your another knees are killing me. 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:53.880 You ever had you ever got had runners? 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:54.880 High? No? 0:04:55.000 --> 0:04:57.239 I've never run that far. You can talk about runners 0:04:57.320 --> 0:04:58.680 high like it's a good thing. You know what else 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:01.560 gets you high and all? I don't do that either. 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:07.760 Ventanill get you high? 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:07.960 Right? 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:11.920 Oh yeah, yeah, running has never been my thing. That's 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:15.040 why I'm so inspired by today's guest. A world class 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:18.880 sprinter would never be something that interests me. But he's 0:05:18.920 --> 0:05:24.120 overcome so many obstacles. I mean, I'm a tall, handsome, successful, 0:05:24.440 --> 0:05:27.599 straight white male. The only obstacles I've ever had to 0:05:27.600 --> 0:05:31.280 deal with our my in laws. Blake was born without legs. 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:36.440 He's a built in excuse to never run. He's going 0:05:36.480 --> 0:05:41.479 against God's will. God's plan for Blake was to be 0:05:41.520 --> 0:05:52.720 a couch potato or a fancy throw pillow. Enjoy, Pasha, 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:56.880 My guest today is an eight time track and field medalist, 0:05:57.400 --> 0:06:00.880 world record holder and my favorite sprinter with no legs. 0:06:00.920 --> 0:06:02.960 Please welcome Blake Leaper. 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:07.039 Thank you so much. Your favorite spitting without legs. I 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:08.200 love that titles. 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:10.200 I want you to know that I have a lot 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:11.720 of black friends without legs. 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:14.080 Yes, yes, I'm sure it's like an ample amount. And 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:16.880 I'm your your favorite one out of all level Well, yeah. 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:18.240 Most of them don't run. I mean, what are the 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:19.560 odds that your name is Leaper? 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:21.839 I know, right, born without legs, last name Leaper. 0:06:22.000 --> 0:06:24.400 That's just weird. That's always how it is, cisy humor. 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:28.880 My name is John White. By the way, I should, 0:06:29.000 --> 0:06:31.400 I should definitely start by thanking you for your service. 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:36.040 Yeah, our country. No, I'm not military, No stolen down. 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.720 I am not military. You didn't serve in Vietnam. 0:06:39.800 --> 0:06:40.279 I did not. 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:43.120 I was not m You'd be surprised how many how 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:44.719 many people think that I was? 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:47.279 You were in Vietnam? Well, because I mean, black people 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:49.840 don't age. I don't know. I don't want to guess 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:52.240 how old you were. That's okay, so you were. Our 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:55.480 research is horrible. Blake is my first question. I asked 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:57.960 all my guests. Do you believe in ghosts? 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:01.839 Yes, I would say I do believe in ghosts. 0:07:01.600 --> 0:07:03.680 Honestly, gun to your head. You believe in ghosts? 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:06.520 Yes, I do believe in ghosts. Really, yes I do. 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:10.040 I felt them tickle my feet at night. But I'm joking. 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:11.520 You don't believe in ghosts? 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:13.880 Yes I do. No, I do. You really don't know spirits. 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:15.920 I don't know if it goes through the spirits. You know, 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.000 it's nothing. It's something that's like floating around. 0:07:19.240 --> 0:07:20.640 There's nothing that we can't. 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:22.800 See, but we feel we don't feel anything, right, don't 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:27.120 you feel something? No? Never, all the stories and everything. 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:29.720 Could care less about the stories, couldn't care less orry born. 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:32.480 Yeah, I was born in Kingsport, Tennessee, like sixty miles 0:07:32.520 --> 0:07:35.680 east of Knoxville, Tennessee. For people who don't know, born 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:38.120 with the congeneral bird defect fibbler him a milia. So 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:40.440 the day that I was born, the doctors basically told 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:42.240 my parents, my mother and father, that I was never 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:44.160 gonna walk or run a day in my life. My 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:47.080 legs didn't develop. I didn't grow anything basically below my knees. 0:07:47.120 --> 0:07:49.200 I have my knee joints, but I'm missing my calf 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:51.239 muscles and my and my ankles and my feet. 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:54.640 Okay, yeah, that's that's that's a blow because this is 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:56.080 how old are you? 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:57.240 Yeah? I'm thirty three now. 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:01.000 Okay, So I mean they didn't know this until you delivered. 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:03.000 Right right, So I was delivered, took me into the ICU, 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.360 came back and had the conversation with my mother and father, 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:08.040 mister and missus Leaper I'm sorry, but your baby boy, 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:10.720 Blake is born missing both of his legs. You know, 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:12.560 he's never gonna walk, he's never gonna jump, he's gonna 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.120 be bound in a wheelchair his his whole life. And 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:18.600 so like it was, I would say, initially a blow 0:08:18.680 --> 0:08:21.000 to my family to be of course. Yeah, yeah, it 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:22.360 definitely was a blow to my family. 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:25.000 You're a father, yes, I am, I am? And how 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:26.640 old you just three? Three? 0:08:26.760 --> 0:08:29.080 Yeah? God, it's such a crazy ag. 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:30.560 Let me tell you did a pandemic. 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:32.160 Yeah, I had a pandemic baby, I did. 0:08:32.440 --> 0:08:33.160 You were just born? 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:36.319 Oh my god, I had nothing else to do. I 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:39.559 was at home making babies. It was ridiculous or. 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:43.839 Congratulations, but like you, obviously I assume went to all 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:44.680 these check ups. 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:45.760 Oh my gosh. Yes. 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:47.760 And if you would have, like in this day and age, 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:50.160 if you would have found out like oh, at nine 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:52.520 weeks or ten weeks or hey, there's no legs in 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:54.760 your baby, yeah, some people might be like, oh, I 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:56.000 don't want to have this child. 0:08:55.840 --> 0:08:58.160 Right right, And it's a common situation, you know, having 0:08:58.200 --> 0:09:00.600 a child with a disability. You know, we don't want 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:02.760 to deal with this. The divorce rate goes up with 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:05.360 the parents like all these things that come with the 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:08.640 stigmatism of having a child missing not only one leg, 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:11.440 but missing both his legs, and so for my parents 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:14.080 to kind of stick into it, right, I asked them 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:16.880 the day that I was born, like, well, what'd you say? Like, mom, like, 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:19.680 who'd you You know? My mom's as a Christian woman, but 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:21.520 she cussed out the you know, who'd you cuss out 0:09:21.600 --> 0:09:23.600 with the doctors. But they tell me they did two 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:25.400 things in the moment when they found out that I 0:09:25.480 --> 0:09:27.520 was born missing both of my legs. The first thing, 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:29.880 they decided to stick together as a family as a unit, 0:09:29.920 --> 0:09:32.120 and the second thing was to keep a positive attitude 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:35.199 towards my situation, specifically being born without legs. 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:36.839 That's pretty great. Are they still together? Yeah? 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:41.960 Yeah, they fight every day, but they're still together. 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:44.640 Where'd you go to college? 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:47.679 I went to the University of Tennessee, Go balls, go balls. Baby. 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:50.800 Let me tell you something. I truly love Knoxville. 0:09:51.000 --> 0:09:53.520 Yes, yes, is it a great knock? Do we call 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:54.440 it knox Vegas? 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:56.599 Were you an athlete at the University of Knoxville or 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:57.439 University Tesnsee? 0:09:57.440 --> 0:09:59.960 No, I wasn't. So I did play basketball in baseball 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:01.960 growing up as a kid. But once I went to 0:10:02.040 --> 0:10:04.280 University of Tennessee, I was just kind of focusing on 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.080 my studies. I was pre med when applied physics, so 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:09.760 I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. That was altered 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:11.679 obviously once I got the running blades. So I got 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:15.760 the running prosthetic blades in college, started competing competitively and 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:18.440 became one of the fastest Paralympic runners in the world 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:19.000 within a year. 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:20.240 Yeah that's pretty impressive. 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:23.880 Yeah, what am I supposed to say? Abled? Yeah? So 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:26.800 it's interesting because I am technically a disabled man. So 0:10:26.920 --> 0:10:29.280 I am a man with a disability, and to compare 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:32.520 against people that have their legs, I say, able bodied 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.920 runners or you know somebody that is able body. But 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:39.160 it's it's kind of interesting that I am labeled disabled. 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:40.520 But I'm faster than you. 0:10:40.600 --> 0:10:44.240 So you think you're faster, you don't know. I've never 0:10:44.320 --> 0:10:47.880 actually exerted like my full course, so I have no 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:49.400 idea how fast I could go. 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:51.600 I means, as a white man with those type of 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:55.800 glasses in that outfit, I guarantee you that I that 0:10:56.360 --> 0:10:57.240 you can't. You can't. 0:10:57.559 --> 0:11:00.280 I'm not bound by a sweater and glasses. I didn't 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:02.680 pick the sweater out the glasses help me read because 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:05.640 I'm old, I'm pretty quick. Yeah, I mean I get 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:08.559 your Your four hundred meters is your special right right? Yes, 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:12.040 still farther than I want to go. I just hate running. 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:12.640 Yeah. 0:11:12.679 --> 0:11:14.920 Does that bother you that people with legs hate running? 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:18.000 No, it doesn't. I mean to be honest with you, 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:20.480 I hated running growing up as a kid too. I 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:22.920 mean I was missing both of my legs, so I 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:26.079 always came last in all the running events. So as 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:29.559 a kid growing up, I hated running like I couldn't. 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:31.760 How bad were you at at the beginning of your 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:33.520 life where you're like it? 0:11:33.520 --> 0:11:35.440 It was pretty I mean it was the technology. It 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.400 was like sticks. Basically imagine me as a pirate, just 0:11:38.440 --> 0:11:40.760 like two sticks, just like walking around. 0:11:40.920 --> 0:11:42.120 Just did your family have money? 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:44.360 I mean so they did. They had good jobs and 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:46.520 they had My mom was a nurse, So we did 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:49.320 have the whole fight in the battle with the entrance companies. 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:51.840 Because people, for those who don't realize, especially in the 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:55.520 disabled community, certain prosthetic legs like the ones you see 0:11:55.559 --> 0:11:58.200 me walk in today, are consider a luxury, of course, 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:00.240 and not a necessity. So you can say, hey, I 0:12:00.280 --> 0:12:02.240 want to run, I want to walk. You send your 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:04.800 letter into the insurance you know a company and say 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:06.760 we don't care. Right, figured it. 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:10.439 Would rame, yes, play video. 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:13.000 Yes, exactly. So my mom was a big advocate for 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:15.680 me to to get the right prosthetic legs with their insurance, 0:12:16.040 --> 0:12:18.200 just to stay active. I didn't get the running blades, 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:20.720 but I had decent legs to play basketball and baseball 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:23.800 as a kid. And then once I got the running legs, 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:26.439 that was the biggest jump in my career to where 0:12:26.480 --> 0:12:29.640 I was just an average kid, maybe average disabled kid 0:12:29.679 --> 0:12:31.880 that could run up down the basketball court, to now 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:35.400 I'm one of the fastest paralympians disabled men in the world. 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:38.960 You were born without legs, hit, you're considered an amputee. 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:41.319 Yeah, So because I had a technically at four or 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:43.640 five years old, I went back, I had a revision 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:46.120 of my legs where I had like two toes on 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:48.640 my left leg and one like baby told my right 0:12:48.720 --> 0:12:50.880 leg and they just went in and just just like 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:51.560 cut them off. 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:52.679 They serve no purpose. 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:54.960 Yeah, they serve no purpose. I mean because that was going. 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:56.719 And whether were their feelings on them. 0:12:57.200 --> 0:12:59.040 I could move them I can, like, and they they 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:01.240 cut my toes off. If you left them on, I 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.720 mean I could, but I was getting like blisters and 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:06.880 like callouses and all my toes and so because I 0:13:06.920 --> 0:13:09.160 was like pounding on them inside my socket so much 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:11.719 on my stump on that they just cut him off. 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:14.120 And so because they cut them off, technically I fell 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:17.280 into the emputee category. And it's a lot easier to 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:20.040 say emputee than congenital birth defect fiblair million. 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:22.400 Yeah, yeah, that's tough. I'm never gonna say that. What's 0:13:22.440 --> 0:13:26.080 more frustrating being born without legs or being a black 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:26.800 man in America? 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:30.360 Ooh, that's a good one, because they actually are close 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:34.800 to being equal. I'm not gonna lie. I get judged 0:13:35.240 --> 0:13:38.240 double time hard because I get discriminated as a as 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:40.760 a black man on a daily basis, especially growing up 0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:43.600 in East Tennessee. But then I also faced discrimination as 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:46.120 a man missing both of his legs and the assumption 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:47.520 of what I can and cannot do. 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:51.000 So like, emotionally, you're like in a great place. You've 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:51.960 figured life out. 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.400 Yeah, I mean I would say I figured it out 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:57.000 just because all the trials and tribulations that I've been 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:59.920 through in my life that life sucks, life isn't fair. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:01.520 So either going to cry about it or you're going 0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:02.240 to laugh about it? 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:05.440 Are you one of these people? I assume you are 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:09.599 too positive? But no, where You're like, I wouldn't have it. 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:11.080 If I could do it all over, I wouldn't have 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:12.000 it any other way. 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:15.400 I am. I am, I am because this is who 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:15.840 I am. 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:20.200 Who cares? I would change everything about yourself? Yes, would 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.640 you change? I mean every decision? Well, that was the 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:24.280 wrong one. I should have done that. 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.000 But the wrong decisions is the lessons that you learned. 0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:29.520 I don't know, right, I mean, yeah, yes, and theory, 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.080 but I'm still saying I would be one of these 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:34.440 people that would want to redo and correct almost everything. 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:36.880 Yeah, I mean, but could you imagine me with legs? 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:39.120 I would just be just a boring black dude. 0:14:39.520 --> 0:14:42.960 Maybe, or maybe you'd be the greatest, you know, most 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:44.640 famous athlete in the history of the world. 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:47.080 True. Or I could be a tap dancer. That's one 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:49.120 thing I think if I I don't want to be 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:50.000 a tap dancer. 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:51.680 Right, No, No, I thought the genre of dance that 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:54.400 you want to be great at tap is just fucking annoying, 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:57.040 it's loud, it's this ruining. 0:14:56.680 --> 0:14:59.520 Floors just in there. If I have both my legs, 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:01.120 I'll just be dancing my ass all over. 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:03.920 Did you have a normal dating life? 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:06.800 Yeah? I did, Actually I did. You know. I struggled 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:10.080 as a kid right growing up, you know, being judged 0:15:10.120 --> 0:15:13.160 because of my legs, and sometimes I even dated girls 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:15.000 and didn't tell them about my legs. 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:16.240 You could, you could pull it off. 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:18.960 I could pull it off until you as you know, 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:21.560 we went home and went to bed, and I could 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:24.320 not pull it off. I just like was like, pop pop, Oh, 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:25.920 by the way, I'm missing both of my legs. 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:28.040 I was with a girl one time and she's like, 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:29.960 I got to tell you something, and I was like, 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:31.720 I was like, I was in my head. I was like, 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:34.840 let's prepare for everything, because I don't. I don't. I 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:38.240 don't want to act like I'm not okay with it. 0:15:38.320 --> 0:15:40.040 So I was just preparing what is she going to 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:42.080 tell me? And then she told me that she she 0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:44.040 had what's my call it, colsted me bag. 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:44.280 Oh. 0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:46.520 I was like, ah, that's not bad, so your buttole's 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:51.400 clean was the good part. But I did have I did. 0:15:51.480 --> 0:15:52.600 I had to prepare myself. 0:15:53.200 --> 0:15:54.800 Did you think she was going to miss a leg 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:56.000 or you know I did. I didn't. 0:15:56.000 --> 0:15:58.120 I had no idea, but I just remember that was 0:15:58.200 --> 0:15:58.640 like a week. 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:00.320 I know it was what I felt like, this is 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:03.440 weird because she has to have this conversation with everybody 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:06.800 that she's potentially gonna Right, I wear a colostomy bag, right, 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:09.000 so you obviously, if you're hiding your legs, that's a 0:16:09.000 --> 0:16:09.760 real conversation. 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:12.280 But if you're not hiding, it's it's pretty much not right. 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:14.840 It's out there. And so most times, I like especially now, 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:16.920 I wear shorts that I'm out and about and people 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:18.880 obviously I get the stairs, I get the looks, but 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:20.720 I've kind of now embraced it. 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:22.480 Were there girls that were into it? 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:23.440 Actually? Yes? 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:25.880 Does that make you go like all right, I don't 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:26.440 like that either? 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:28.800 Yeah, No, I mean I'm kind of into that. Actually, 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:32.440 there's there's a name for that. Yes, They're called devotees. 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:37.200 So devotas are individuals that are into people with missing 0:16:37.280 --> 0:16:39.400 like their legs, so like if you take your leg off. 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:41.880 They like the whole nub play in the nub action. 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:49.960 Be Honestly, I've never liked the term nub, I know, 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:53.760 but that's the that's the that's the scientific name for it. 0:16:53.840 --> 0:16:56.480 I have like so because I'm missing both of my legs, 0:16:57.320 --> 0:16:59.760 I take my legs off in my stumps. Then I 0:17:00.240 --> 0:17:01.680 have are my nubs. 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.000 When you're home alone, you don't have do you no 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:04.879 legs or legs? 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:07.600 It depends. It's just I guess sometimes I keep my 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:09.760 legs on. If I had a long day, I can 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:12.960 just chill. I take my legs off. I can function 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:15.399 completely with my legs off, Like I can climb on 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:17.680 counters and go use the bathroom. I can climb on 0:17:17.720 --> 0:17:19.600 the bed, but I get the point A to point 0:17:19.640 --> 0:17:20.879 B quicker with my legs on. 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:22.879 So you're saying, within a year of you getting your 0:17:22.920 --> 0:17:26.480 running blade, you became what was like where did you 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:27.200 compete first? 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:29.480 So I competed in Oklahoma's like back in two thousand 0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:32.640 and nine. It was like a local Paralympic event, and 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:36.400 I ran one hundred meters. I qualified for my team. 0:17:36.480 --> 0:17:38.760 And then by my second race, they called me and 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:41.920 they invited me to Rio Dejiannaro, Brazil, And my second 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:45.439 race in track and field was in Brazil, competing internationally 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:46.120 for the USA. 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:48.600 Brazilians scary group of people. 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:57.600 So you asked, I had fun in Brazil. Rio was 0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:01.160 amazing and you can imagine like like bling my eyes, 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:03.879 run two races and I'm on Copa Kabana beach, just 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:06.720 like like as a nineteen year old, and I was like, 0:18:06.760 --> 0:18:07.080 you know. 0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:08.320 What, so much thick ass? 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:11.760 Yeah, I think I like this sport. This is good. 0:18:12.040 --> 0:18:12.920 This is gonna be good. 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:16.440 The categories in the pair of games, yes, are, there's 0:18:16.480 --> 0:18:16.720 a lot. 0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:19.560