Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles recently visited the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, where he engaged with young patients and gave them an uplifting message.
The 100-meter Olympic champion had a terrific time when he visited the kids. He also reflected on his childhood, plagued by various illnesses, especially asthma.
Lyles had aspired to be an athlete since childhood, but the circumstances at that time presented significant obstacles to pursuing his dream. The Olympic sprinter vividly remembers his strong desire to hit the track for training, only to be repeatedly subjected to extensive medical procedures to ensure his fitness without jeopardizing his life.
While he went through difficult moments in his journey, he encouraged the young people to keep their heads up in a statement reported by Fox 5:
“No matter your difficulties, life doesn’t determine who you be. You determine who you be.“
Lyles recognized that everyone faces unique challenges in life. However, he stressed that overcoming these challenges is more important than giving up on goals. He believed that it’s crucial to choose your own path instead of letting life’s rules control you.
Lyles spent a significant amount of time with the children in the hospital. He also did various activities, like signing autographs, taking pictures with the kids holding his Olympic medals, and even sprinting with them.
Although the American sprinter related to having a difficult childhood, he also had one of his most important support systems at his side: his mother, Keisha Bishop.
Lyles’ biggest support system
In Netflix’s ‘Sprint,’ the athlete attributed his success in track to his mother, who was beside him at his most challenging moments in life. Young Lyles spent nights in the hospital while suffering from asthma and remembered how he was taking medications.
However, at those moments, Keisha was the one who held him close and offered her son all the emotional support he needed. She recalled that they would be the only ones awake in the house, and as time passed, she would reassure her child that this nightmare would ultimately end, and they would develop the best version of him as an athlete.
Each year that passed, Lyles triumphed over his health problems and finally reached the pinnacle of the sport.
