The Paris Olympics highlighted some heartwarming stories that eventually got more people interested in track and field sports. One of them was the story of Paralympian Hunter Woodhall and how his resilience through the years got him his first Paralympic gold to match with his Olympic gold medalist wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall.
In a recent video, Woodhall took fans on a journey through his childhood and the place that enabled his athletic dreams—the Shriners Hospital group. The organization is a non-profit network of medical centers that focuses on providing urgent and special care for children.
Born with a congenital condition called fibular hemimelia, Woodhall had his legs amputated at Shriners at a young age with hopes of improving his mobility. He eventually received his first pair of running blades from the same hospital who wanted him to fulfill his track and field dreams.
Reminiscing about all this, the Paralympian, accompanied by his wife, revisited the hospital for an event. Donning his gold medal while inspiring young children with special needs, he stressed the importance of taking things slow to gain better results.
“You might have a really big goal that’s way down the line, and it’s hard to figure out what steps come next…I want you guys to remember…it’s okay to go slow. These things take time.”
Obstacles were the stepping stone to achieving bigger dreams, and that’s exactly how it played out for Woodhall. Even after having a fantastic track record, he narrowly missed the world title after a faulty prosthetic forced him out of the race.
However, it gave him the fuel and chance to bounce back harder at the 2024 Paralympics, resulting in his historic gold. Throughout it all, he chose to move forward through the hurdles and ended with a sweet victory.
Of all the circumstances and situations he faced, Woodhall owes it to his wife, Tara, for keeping him grounded. The couple’s unwavering determination and support for each other were the key factors that ultimately propelled them to secure matching gold medals. He wrapped up the event successfully with friendly races and hoped to inspire kids like him to dream big.
