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Aaron ScheidiesAmerican blind athlete
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Aaron Scheidies: The Blind American Athlete
- A Challenging Journey
- Conquering Challenges
- Achievements and Contributions
Aaron Scheidies: The Blind American Athlete
Aaron Scheidies is a 29-year-old American athlete, marathon runner, and triathlete who has completed over a hundred triathlons. However, the most remarkable aspect of his story is that Aaron is almost completely blind. "To see, a person doesn't need eyes," the young athlete tells journalists. Through his own experience, Scheidies has come to realize that what a person truly needs is faith in their own abilities, the belief that they can make a difference, and of course, training, without which nothing is possible in life.
A Challenging Journey
Aaron's story is not unlike many others. He was born a healthy child, but within the first few months of his life, doctors noticed that his vision was rapidly deteriorating. By his teenage years, he could see only 15-20%, and he remains in this condition to this day. For many, such a condition would become a burden, spending their lives mostly at home and going on rare outings with a guide. However, this did not stop the young and ambitious boy. One day, while watching a triathlon competition on television, he made up his mind to become a professional in this sport no matter what.
At first, it was difficult. Together with his parents, he repeatedly went through the course, memorizing the most challenging sections and turns so that he wouldn't face any issues with orientation during the actual race. "The problem was in me: I always felt normal, just like everyone else, but I had to do all this," Aaron explained in an interview. Despite the insecurities and numerous rejections from triathlon and marathon organizers, he persevered and eventually achieved his goal.
Conquering Challenges
After completing several smaller races around the world, Aaron joined forces with four other athletes to tackle the toughest course on the planet - Couer d'Alene, which is an IronMan distance. The participants first swim over 2 miles in open water, then bike over 100 miles, and finally run a marathon of 26.6 miles. Each member of the team crossed the finish line independently. As Aaron's vision continues to deteriorate, when it reached 10%, he had to complete all races with a guide. Finding a good instructor who not only matched his physical abilities but also became a friend was not an easy task, as the athlete admitted. He spends the majority of his time with his training partner and a member of the university triathlon team, John Severin.
Achievements and Contributions
Aaron, who has fans all over the world, loves to travel and turns each race into a spectacle. Every time he hears the roar of the crowd, he waves his hands, shouts words of gratitude, and sometimes even gives gifts. For example, during one competition, he went into the crowd during the race to hand out t-shirts and autographs. He admits that, although winning is important, it is all done for the people because it is their support that made it all possible.
In 2010, Scheidies achieved his best result when he set a world record of 1:57:21 in the Sylvania Triathlon. The distance seemed relatively easy to him, and he even slowed down a bit on the final straight, but fortunately, it didn't affect his time. Sports achievements are not Aaron's only pride. He graduated from Michigan State University and later obtained a doctorate from the University of Washington, focusing his scientific interests on physical therapy and rehabilitation after sports injuries. Alongside his athletic pursuits, Aaron works at one of the branches of the renowned rehabilitation center, 'Rehab Care'.
Nowadays, Aaron is heavily involved in charity work, often giving motivational lectures, and conducting sessions on overcoming the aftermath of injuries. He spends a lot of time working with blind children. His life story has been featured in magazines such as 'GQ,' 'Esquire,' 'Competitor,' 'ESPN the Mag,' and 'Men's Health'. A documentary film, 'Victory Over Darkness,' was also made about him. His dream is to compete in the Paralympics as part of the US national team. Although he did not qualify for the 2012 London Paralympics, he hopes to get another chance in four years. In 2011, he was a finalist for the ESPN ESPY Award for Best Athlete with a Disability.
During his races, Aaron draws a smiling face on his arm to show it to the crowd. "When it gets particularly tough, I think about all the smiles and try to smile too. It's all about a simple smile, not how difficult it is for me or how much I want to stop."
