Jack Cunningham received his first set of prosthetics after his first birthday.
He had been diagnosed in utero with bilateral fibular hemimelia, born without a fibula bone in either leg, and both legs were amputated below his knees, writes Matthew DeGeorge for the Daily Times.
Those prosthetic legs got him into youth soccer and ice skating with his family, but it was when he turned 7 that he realized the athletic opportunities open to people with limb differences.
That’s when he and his family traveled to New York for a run clinic. It was hosted by the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
These days, Cunningham is a valuable member of the Springfield High School Cougars track team, competing in the Penn Relays as one of the fastest members of the team.
The Springfield junior is a multi-sports athlete who wears his uniqueness with pride, with dreams of getting to the Paralympics in 2028.
.“(Sports) allowed me to just live a normal life, not really feel like I was disabled in any way,” Cunningham said.
There’s few things in sports he hasn’t tried, from soccer to baseball, cycling, swimming to cross country, to powerlifting and triathlons.
Read more about Jack Cunningham’s athletic journey and success in the Daily Times.
