Matt Woodrum is My Hero
Matt Woodrum is a eleven year old sixth grader. He lives in Ohio where he attends school daily just like any other child. Except Matt isn’t like most other children because he lives with Cerebral Palsy. Born three months early with a brain hemorrhage, his parents were encouraged to sign a DNR and let him ass away on his own.
Instead they wanted to fight for his life, and two months later he came home from the hospital. When Matt was two he was diagnose with cerebral palsy. But that never slowed him down in life.
In an ESPN clip I watched this morning, with tears in my eyes, he said “I am not mad I am handicapped. I just don’t think about it” which is probably the best outlook I have ever heard. But for it to be from an elevent year old little boy… it is amazing.
But this little quote isn’t what moved me. It is the story that went along with the news feature on ESPN and had me crying like a baby.
A video of Matt went viral on Youtube recently. The video featured Matt running the schools 400 meter race at field day. He decided days before the race that he wanted to do it. Not to prove anything to anyone else, not to be like all the other kids, but because he wanted to accomplish it.
But what happened after the race started, and Matt started to lose steam while running is what moved me.
Moments later they had all joined in. Running behind him, cheering him on and helping him to finish the race. A complete show of good sportsmanship. A honest, goodhearted gesture by a group of kids.
It was refreshing. Because most of the time today, when you are seeing news stories on kids this age, it has to do with something negative, or some kind of bullying. But these kids banded together to support their classmate.
It was moving, and now that my children are heading into school I can only hope they follow in this classes footsteps in being supportive of their classmates.
Matt Woodrum, you are my hero!
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Tags: 400 meter race, Cerebral palsy, ESPN, Matt Woodrum, Ohio
Thanks so much for sharing, Danielle. My ex husband has CP, and I can remember his mom telling me stories of how determined he was as a kid. Despite everything, I definitely admire that. This was a much needed inspiration today.
Such an inspiration this young boy is! My cousin has Cerebral Palsy, and she’s one heck of a fighter too!
What an inspiring little boy!!