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4 Famous Athletes Who Have a Disability
Paralympic swimmer Rebecca Meyers won three gold and one silver medals in Rio 2016.
Just because you have a physical disability, it does not mean that your love of sports is restricted to fantasy football or sports gambling, orĀ Everygame casino no deposit bonusĀ game playing on your laptop.
Many people with disabilities “take advantage of their strengths to compensate for their weaknesses.” It starts with learning about yourself, so you can understand what your strengths are and what your weaknesses are.
Here is a secret that successful people don’t want you to know: everybody has strengths and everybody has weaknesses.Ā The ones who are successful understand that, and the ones who are not don’t understand that.
Aaron Fotheringham
Aaron Fotheringham is also one of the most famous skaters in the world.Ā His specialty? Wheelchair skating.Ā Aaron Fotheringham was born with spina bifida.
Aaron Fotheringham is an extreme wheelchair athlete who performs tricks adapted from skateboarding and BMX. He competes in the Vegas Am Jam series in skate park competitions, usually against BMX riders.
He is the first person to successfully perform a backflip in a wheelchair at the age of 14, and a double backflip at the age of 18.
He performs many other tricks in his wheelchair including 180 degree ‘aerials’, one-wheeled spins, and rail grinds. He plans to fuse the back flip with the 180 aerial into what is known as a ‘flair’.
When he was a young boy, he used crutches early on, but he has been a wheelchair user full-time since the age of eight.Ā He would watch his brother riding his BMX at the skate park, and one day his brother told him that he should try riding his chair in the park.
Fotheringham uses a customized WCMX wheelchair designed by Box Wheelchairs, which is both lightweight and features four-wheel suspension. This enables him to perform the same sorts of tricks that skateboarders and BMXers can do, as the suspension cushions his landings.
Fotheringham has worked with Box Designs Wheelchairs to help refine the design in real-world situations, resulting in a custom-made chair that is in his words, “pretty much indestructible”.
In 2022, he competed on America’s Got Talent: Extreme. After receiving Nikki Bella’s golden buzzer in the audition round, he advanced to the finale, and earned second place.
Rebecca Meyers
Rebecca Meyers (born November 20, 1994, in Baltimore) is a Paralympic swimmer from the United States. She won three gold and one silver medals in Rio 2016. She was also a member of the 2012 Paralympic Team, and won a silver and bronze in London. Rebecca Meyers also competed at the 2009 Summer Deaflympics which was held in Taiwan.
Meyers has Usher syndrome and has been deaf since she was born. Since she was young she has used a cochlear implant, an electronic device that allows her to hear. Meyers is also losing her vision to a disease called retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and has a Seeing Eye dog named Birdie, who helps her navigate the world.
She grew up in Baltimore, attended Notre Dame Prep, and went on to graduate from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where she studied history with a concentration in Disability Studies.
In June 2021 the US announced the 34 Paralympic swimmers who would be going to the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. The women’s team was Meyers, Jessica Long, McKenzie Coan, Elizabeth Marks, and Mallory Weggemann. On July 20, 2021, Meyers withdrew from the Paralympics after being denied her request for a personal care assistant due to the reduced allocation of staff members amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matt Brown (parathlete)
Matthew S. Brown, known as Matt P.F. Brown (born November 24, 1976), is currently a football and track and field coach at Idalou High School in Idalou in Lubbock County, Texas.Ā He is also a gold and bronze winner in the Parapan American Games. Brown’s left leg was amputated above the knee because of an accidental industrial explosion on December 20, 2005.
In September 2007, Brown won a gold medal in the discus, having set a record throw of 154 feet 9 inches (47.17 m), and a bronze in the shot put at the 2007 Parapan American Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He also competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, where he finished fourth in the men’s discus.
On July 12, 2011, Brown was suspended for three months by the Paralympic team after a United States Anti-Doping Agency test revealed the presence of a marijuana metabolite in his body. He was also made ineligible to participate in official track and field events for a calendar year. He tested positive for marijuana again in a June 2012 test and was again suspended for twelve months.
Who knows what his sports career might have been if he did not waste his talents on using marijuana?Ā Yes, marijuana is legal in several states in the US, but that does not mean that it will not affect your ability to do sports.
Amy Bockerstette
Amy Bockerstette (born October 15, 1998) is an American competitive amateur golfer and disabilities advocate with Down syndrome. She is the first person with Down syndrome to both receive an athletic scholarship to attend college and also to compete in a national collegiate championship.
In high school, Bockerstette became the first person with Down syndrome to play in the Arizona High School Girls Golf Division I State Championship, where she competed as both a junior and senior. In 2017, she was honored at the AZCentral.com Sports Awards with the Best Moment of the Year Award for Arizona High School Sports.
As a representative of Special Olympics Arizona, Bockerstette played in the LPGA Bank of Hope Founders Cup Pro-Am with professional golfers Sarah Jane Smith and Gerina Piller in March 2017. She was named by AZCentral.com as one of the “Ten Most Intriguing High School Athletes of 2017”.
In May 2018, Bockerstette signed a letter of intent to play golf at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Arizona. She studied dance at PVCC and played on a full golf scholarship, completing her college career in May 2022. She was afforded two one-year golf scholarship extensions due to COVID-19.
Bockerstette is a Special Olympics athlete in golf, swimming and volleyball and plays Challenger baseball. She also plays piano.
Bockerstette and her family launched a 501 nonprofit corporation, the I GOT THIS Foundation, at her 21st birthday party in October 2019. The foundation’s mission is to promote golf instruction and playing opportunities for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.
On April 29, 2022, Bockerstette was named as one of the 48 Most Intriguing Women of Arizona by 48 Arizona Women and the Arizona Historical Society. She is featured in a coffee table book entitled: Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing WomenāA New Decade, telling each woman’s story in words and photos. Honorees were selected from 15 cities across Arizona.
On June 6-9, 2022, Bockerstette competed at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando Florida in the Level 5 category, 18 holes individual golf competition, at Orange National Golf Center, where she won a Silver medal.
Bockerstette continues to represent the I Got This Foundation, as a speaker and by attending various charity golf tournaments and fundraising events, where she advocates for inclusion and for people with disabilities.
Summary
These 4 individuals are examples of people who “took advantage of their strengths” so they could fulfill their dreams.Ā So the next time you try to tell yourself, “I cannot do X” just read these famous athlete’s stories (and many more like them).Ā Then find your own strength, so you can take advantage of it to be the best you can be.
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Late Actor Billy Miller Was Rumored to Be Engaged to Kelly Monaco ā Know the Truth
Billy Miller passed away due to depression.
Late American actor Billy Miller was not only rumored to be in a relationship with Kelly Monaco but also speculated that they have been engaged.
To put the rumors to rest, it’s important to clarify that Miller and Monaco were not engaged. The rumor about their relationship started back in 2015 after they co-starred together in the soap opera General Hospital.
In the television series, the actor played the role of Jason Morgan, while Monaco debuted as Sam Morgan. The duoās on-screen portrayal was so authentic that many of the fans started to assume they were a real-life couple.Ā
However, fans did not just speculate that Miller and his co-star were dating based solely on their on-screen role, but there were multiple occasions when the duo was seen together in public.
For instance, in October 2015, the two were photographed having a great time at the beach in Malibu. In one of the pictures, they were seen swimming in the water, with Monaco affectionately holding onto the late actor.
Billy Miller was rumored to be dating Kelly Monaco. (Source: Instagram)
Later, in response to the stir caused by this snapshot, Monaco clarified that the picture made them appear more intimate. She mentioned that the duo and their few friends rented a beach house in Malibu to have fun rather than a romantic date.
Likewise, in one of the interviews, Monaco debunked the dating rumor surrounding her and Miller by stating that they were just friends and she was single at that time.
Billy Millerās dating history
Miller mostly kept his personal life far from the public eye. He was also not active on social media platforms which created difficulties for his fans to know what was going on in his life.
Likewise, the actor consistently maintained a clear distinction between his personal and professional life which prevented him from being romantically linked to his co-star beside Monaco.
According to whosdatedwho, there is no record of Miller being in a relationship with any woman, either within or outside the entertainment industry.
Billy Miller was rumored to be gay
One of the main reasons Millerās fans and followers speculated about his sexual orientation was due to his portrayal of gay characters in a number of movies. Notably, he played the role of Richie Novak in All My Children and Charlie Young in Ringer.
The actor also portrayed a gay man who tragically passed away due to AIDS in the short film Remembering Nigel.
Miller’s portrayal of gay characters in these movies was so authentic that many of his fans and followers speculated about his personal connection or experience within the LGBTQ+ community.
Billy Miller was romantically linked to Jason Thompson. (Source: Michaelfairmantv)
Likewise, many of the actorās fans noticed his undeniable chemistry with many of his male co-stars, such as Jason Thompson, Steve Burton, and Michael Muhney. Miller was even spotted hugging and kissing his male costars.Ā
The actor’s attraction towards the same gender led many of his fans to ship him with numerous male co-stars. Additionally, enthusiastic fans started creating fan fiction posts centered around the on-screen interactions between Miller and his male co-stars.
However, the actor never publicly addressed his sexual orientation himself. So itās important to keep in mind that close relationships between actors do not necessarily imply their sexual orientation.
Billy Miller recently passed away at the age of 43
Miller’s manager confirmed his passing on September 17, 2023, revealing that he had tragically died by suicide. He also revealed that the actor was struggling with depression at that time.
Shortly after the news of Miller’s passing, his mother Patricia shared that her son surrendered his life after a long and hard battle with bipolar depression. She told Soap Opera Digest, āHe fought a long hard valiant battle with bipolar depression for years. He did everything he could to control the disease.”
She also expressed her gratitude for the support she received in the wake of her son’s tragic death. Patricia went on to say, “He loved his family, his friends, and his fans but in the end, the disease won the fight and he surrendered his life.ā
Likewise, the actorās mother made it clear that the other cause of Miller’s death circulating on the internet was not true. She concluded by stating, āWe all loved him so much and are desperately trying to deal with our loss.ā
Moreover, two days after the actorās death, the actor’s former All My Children costar Chrishell Stause posted a picture of him kissing her on the cheek.
Alongside the post, she wrote, āToo many feelings, but you are gone too soon and Iām so happy I got to work with you all those years, but also call you a friend. I hope you are at peace now,ā with a broken heart and a prayer hand emoji.
Furthermore, the last on-screen appearance made by Miller was in his role as Ezra Moretti in NCIS. He also portrayed the character of Alex Dunn in Truth Be Told from 2019 to 2020.
Throughout the actorās career, he also achieved many awards and nominations for his amazing acting skills. Some of his notable awards include the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Young and the Restless and the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in General Hospital.
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Know If Gabriel Fernandezās Father, Arnold Contreras, Is Still Alive
Arnold Contreras was devastated by the news of his son’s passing.
The world was in shock when an eight-year-old boy, Gabriel Fernandez, was tortured and murdered by his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and stepfather, Isauro Aguirre.Ā
Gabriel passed away on May 24, 2013, at the Childrenās Hospital Los Angeles after months of torture. However, his biological father, Arnold Contreras, was clueless about the incident because he was behind the bar at the time of his childās death.
Later, in a documentary about the case, the prosecutor, Jon Hatami, revealed that Arnold was heartbroken from the loss of his child, and he felt that it was his fault for not protecting his son.
Eventually, Gabrielās mother and stepfather were arrested for the murder on May 23, 2013. In court, she stated, “I want to say I’m sorry for what happened. I wish Gabriel was alive. Every day I wish that I would have made better choices. I’m sorry to my children, and I want them to know that I love them.”
Amidst Gabriel’s death case, many of his fans and followers remained curious about the status of the boy’s biological father, wondering if he was still alive.
Where is Arnold Contreras now?
Arnold is still alive and appears to have moved on with his life, but he still carries the memory of his son. Looking at his Facebook profile, he has posted a few pictures with Gabriel, but he has not been active on the platform since 2017.Ā
Moreover, since his son’s death, he has been to jail many times. In May 2018, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for acquiring and retaining personal identification information.
Later, on February 11, 2019, Arnold was again arrested for nonviolent offenses and sentenced to Calipatria State Prison for a year and four months but became eligible for parole in June 2019.
Just a few months after he was released from jail, he was once again sent behind bars in 2020 after being convicted on two separate charges.
As of 2023, he is living a private life, and nothing much is known about his current circumstances.Ā
Arnold Contrerasā short biography
Arnold was born on August 6, 1981, to his parents, Rodrigo Contretas and Placida Contretas. He grew up along with his younger brother, Christopher Contreras.
Regarding his profession, he worked at a tattoo and piercing parlor. Notably, on October 27, 2017, he posted the before and after pictures of the leg tattoo on his Facebook.
Arnold Contreras is a tattoo artist. (Source: Facebook)
In addition to his Facebook presence, he also maintains an active Pinterest account where he displays his prowess as a tattoo artist.
Inside Arnold Contrerasā relationship with his ex-partner Pearl Fernandez
Even though Arnold and Pearl were the biological parents of Gabriel, there is no record to prove that they have been married.
Likewise, nothing much is known about their relationship, like when they first met and how they started dating. Nevertheless, Arnold and Pearl had a toxic relationship, with Pearl often exhibiting aggressive behavior.Ā
One of Gabriel’s aunt also revealed that Pearl often behave abusively towards her romantic partners and act like she is the victim.
Arnold Contreras and Pearl Fernandez failed to show love to their child
As a result of the toxic relationship between Arnold and Pearl, their child, Gabriel, had to face the consequences. Just three days after the birth, Gabriel was abandoned at the hospital by his mother, and his father was never a father figure in his life.Ā
Later, the boy was put under the custody of Pearlās relative, Michael Lemos, and his partner, David Martinez. After staying there for around four years, Gabriel’s grandparents took responsibility for him.Ā
Arnold Contreras and Pearl Fernandez failed as parents. (Source: Yahoo)
Subsequently, in 2012, Pearl won custody of Gabriel and took him to live with her boyfriend, Isauro. That was the time when the childās nightmare started.Ā
During his stay with his mother and stepfather, he suffered severe mistreatment like starvation and being forced to eat cringe-worthy things like cat litter, feces, vomit, and even rotten foods.
Soon after, his mother and stepfather started to beat him so severely that they broke his bones and teeth. Pearl and Isauro were so evil that they used to laugh, seeing the child suffer.Ā
Gabriel tolerated so many tortures from his mother and stepfather, leading to him falling critically ill on May 22, 2013. Later, Pearl called 911 to report that the child was not breathing and was taken quickly to the hospital.Ā
Unfortunately, the doctors could not save the child, and he took his last breath on May 24, 2013. After an extensive investigation, the official autopsy revealed his body was traumatized.
Ironmouse is a well-known Twitch streamer and social media personality from Puerto Rico.
She is well known for her loud voice, eccentric demeanor, and singing. At the time of writing, she has over 1.7 million followers on Twitch. She began streaming on her own, independently, but now she is affiliated with VShojo.
She is the platformās most-followed English language VTuber and holds the record for the fourth-highest peak subscribers for a Twitch streamer. Ironmouse was named after a minor character from Sailor Moon.
Since she is a VTuber, she has always kept her face and real identity hidden. Since then, people have been curious about her real face and identity.
Here is all we know about it.
Ironmouseās face reveal and real face
To date, Ironmouse has never done a face reveal or revealed her real identity. Many fans and followers have asked her to show her face throughout the years.
As a result, there is no information about the person behind Ironmouse. Netizens often ask, āHow old is Ironmouse?ā and āWhere is her family?ā
According to Ironmouseās fandom, her birthday is on January 11, and her age is 6,669. Talking about her āreal identity,ā Ironmouse is a demon queen known by many titles, but who is also said to be Satan herself.
She is a pleasant, fun-loving demon who left the boundaries of Hell or the underworld to make new friends, learn new things, and enjoy life to the fullest. She is obsessed with the internet, music, lewd things, geeky and nerdy things, and everything charming.
To better integrate into the human world, she wears specific magical bells on her body to contain and regulate her strength. If her bells were ever removed, complete mayhem would follow.
Her actual demon queen form is supposed to be revealed after the bells are removed. All she wants to do is have fun, learn about the human world, and make as many soul buddies as she can.
She has pale purple eyes and fluffy pink medium-length hair with heart-shaped ahoge and dark purple streaks. She has white horns and heart-shaped hairpins.
Ironmouseās boyfriend
Ironmouse does not have any boyfriend or partner. She has claimed that she will not date anyone and will forever be alone.
She said that she loved herself and did not want to be with anybody. She also noted that if in case she ever gets a boyfriend or a partner, she would not share it with anyone.
That being said, she is often linked with fellow streamer, Connor, best known as CDawgVA. He is a YouTuber and voice actor who sometimes streams on Twitch.
Ironmouse and CDawgVA often collaborate and have fun with one another. Since they interact a lot, people often think they are dating.
Fans and followers of Ironmouse have called CDawgVA her boyfriend and partner. However, neither Ironmouse nor CDawgVA have addressed the rumors.
Moreover, Ironmouse clarified that she would forever remain single as well. So, it looks like they are not dating and it’s just their fans and followers shipping them together.
Ironmouseās lore and activism
The lore or story behind Ironmouse is quite interesting. As said before, Ironmouse is a demon queen from the underworld who came to the human world after getting infatuated with human civilization.
Her strength, however, dwindled as she spent more time away from her home Earth. After getting infatuated with VTubers, Ironmouse began streaming, becoming a VTuber herself.
Ironmouse. (Source: Twitter)
She found via the internet that she had the power to absorb human souls, the only energy capable of maintaining her. She no longer absorbs human souls, but instead feeds on fragments of her viewersā soul energy.
The silver bells she generally wears around her neck, ankles, and occasionally in her hair limit her strength and allow her to assume a lesser form. This is required so that she may spend as much time as possible in her favorite human world.
Her angelic form depicts her appearance before she went into hell. The power limiters on her legs are enormous rings rather than bells in this form, and her hair buns obscure her horns.
She possesses the ability to shapeshift into any form, but she cannot utilize it without depleting her power. She has claimed that she can appear anywhere on the planet at any moment but cannot be found in space.
Ironmouse has duped a family into believing she is their daughter in order for her to survive on Earth. As a result, she lives with the family, being their daughter, and enjoying the human world for as long as she can.
She stated her age as 6,669 at the beginning of 2022. However, she feels self-conscious about being in her 6,670s and has opted to celebrate her 6,669th birthday for the third time in 2022.
Ironmouse seems healthy and has a soothing voice, yet she is unwell. She became a YouTuber because of a disorder known as Common Variable Immune Deficiency, or CVID, which affects the immune system and is expected.
Ironmouse has been passionate about teaching others about CVID and PI from the beginning of her career. In an interview with Plasma Hero, she said, āAt the time, I think I was so worried I didn’t realize how talking about it could raise awareness; I donāt make my illness the main focus of my content, but I do speak about it from time to time for education and awareness and to explain why I may not be feeling my best at times.ā
She conducted a charity event for the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) on August 4, 2021, and raised over $100,000. This inspired many more designers, including CDawgVA, to follow in her footsteps and collect additional funds for the organization.
She also participated in a 30-day subathon in June 2023, donating half of all subscription proceeds to the Immune Deficiency Foundation.
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