Limbs not needed for inspirational high school wrestler

Dustin Carter, Thu, 01 Jan 2009 3:33p.m.

This is not one of those typical stories about the sweet boy who overcame his disabilities – it is a story about an ornery brat who did it just the same.

"I was a trouble maker," says Dustin Carter. "Me and dad used to fight a lot.  I was very disrespectful."

Carter was not born troubled or

disabled, but when a child he contracted a rare blood disease that would eventually claim his limbs - all four of them. After that, Carter grew into a straight F student with a passion for apathy.

Until eighth grade, when he found - of all things - wrestling.

"I got beat pretty bad," says Carter.

"Well, they just get out there and just throw him around on the mat," says his dad.

Carter lost just about every time he set his torso in the ring, but the competition brought out a side of him no one had ever seen before.

"He's got heart," says his coach Nate Horne. "He's got the heart of a lion."

"I'm a pretty determined person," says Carter. "I'll sit at something and sit at it for hours until I get it."

Over the years he trained hard. By all accounts he became a model of self-discipline.  His grades went up and he actually started winning - winning more than anyone, other than Carter, could have ever imagined.

"There's not one day in my life, ever since I started wrestling, that I have not dreamed of going to the state tournament."

And last week, it happened. Carter made it to the state tournament.

"It was amazing. I looked up, I looked around, and then I got scared," he says. "I was like, I feel really small right now."

The Ohio tournament is actually one of the most competitive in the nation, and yet even here he was able to pull off a win. The victory placed Carter in the top 16 in his age group.

His final match - the last of his high school career - was a real knock-down drag-out. And although he lost the bout, he won the audience.

"I look up, and everybody is on their feet, and immediately my eyes started watering."

Carter says when you are disabled like he is, it is hard to get used to all the staring. But this kind of staring – that, he could get used to.

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Harris recounts his rags to riches story

Texas cowboy sits in first place in the NFR average after eight rounds

By Brett Okamoto, Fri, Dec 12, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Whenever bull rider J.W. Harris pretended he was riding bulls as a little kid, he always imagined himself doing it at the Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo. Very fitting then, that Cheyenne ended up being the rodeo that saved his career.

After a slow start to his 2005 rookie year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Harris had come down with a very serious problem. He was broke.

"I was at a rodeo in Idaho, missed making the short round, and I went to use my debit card and I didn't have no money," Harris said with a laugh. "My uncle was with me and paid for the gas from Idaho to Cheyenne. I was scraping the bottom of every barrel just trying to get there."

Harris ended up winning the short round at Cheyenne and placing second in the average for a $10,000 payday that allowed him to keep traveling to rodeos. Three years later, Harris is sitting in first place in the 50th Anniversary National Finals Rodeo average. He has ridden six bulls through eight rounds, two more than any other rider, and won $53,365, moving him into second-place in the World standings.

What's the secret to his success this year? Harris says it's not getting caught up in the numbers.

"I couldn't tell you how many bulls I'm ahead right now," Harris said. "I don't pay attention to the average or even to the World standings. I don't even know how much money I've won here. I'll just let that take care of itself and let them tell me who wins it. And I think that's why I've stayed focused so well."

After spending time at both the bottom and top of his sport, Harris can comfortably say he was happy in either situation. Even during the slow start to his career, the 22-year-old from May, Texas says he has enjoyed every minute of the journey because being a cowboy is what he loves to do.

"The best part is just getting to do what I want to," Harris said. "Being my own boss. It's just neat, you get to travel the country and do what you love. It's never a strain on you, you know most people it can get to be a strain on you. This is just always fun to me."

Recapping his own career — the son of a former PRCA bull rider turns pro in 2005, nearly goes broke, gets a career-saving win and ends up sitting on top of the 50th Anniversary NFR average after eight rounds — Harris can't think of a thing he'd change.

"I couldn't have scripted it any better than this," he said. "After winning $36,000 in my rookie year I never thought I'd make that much money, I never thought I'd see another poor day. Now each year I make more money and that's always been my goal - get better every year, not stay the same or drop off but to get better. It doesn't get any better than this."

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What are you giving thanks for?

What are you giving thanks for?

by Kevin Masterson, Los Angeles Religion & Spirituality Examiner

With all the economic challenges that so many are facing this year, most certainly many people are struggling to find something for which they are thankful for this holiday season. This is a no brainer to me. I am thankful for being so healthy. Let me tell you why.

The next person I’d like to give their fifteen minutes of fame in my series on people who have been inspirational to me are my cousin, Steve & his wife Marsa. The last time I saw Steve was four years ago at my mother’s family reunion. Most of Steve’s family had come up from Texas to attend the reunion—no small feat, as his mother, my Aunt Nancy has seven children. I hadn’t seen most of them for at least ten years so it was hard to recognize everyone. Steve put his hand out to me as he recognized me. We talked for a while that day & had a beer. His family is so warm and friendly that anyone would like to sit down & have a beer with any of them.

Several months ago, I found out from my mother that Steve had malignant melanoma and his wife, Marsa had breast cancer. She had to have a double mastectomy. As ovarian cancer runs in her family, she also had a complete hysterectomy done at the same time. They have a son who is only two years old, as well as two teenage daughters. This past year has been about going to chemo, doctor’s appointments, etc. You’d think this would leave little time for joy, but Steve held his son on his lap as he got his first haircut several months ago. Marsa’s cancer is now under control, but Steve’s has spread to his lungs.

What is most inspirational to me about Steve is his complete acceptance about his situation. He is totally at peace. He’d like to live, but he is not afraid to die. I think that is what is keeping him going. He is not resisting the flow of life. He is trusting in God’s plan for his life.

Many of us are challenged in many ways this year, but Steve & Marsa’s situation really makes me put things in perspective. Money comes & goes--as do jobs, relationships, material objects, etc. However the greatest gift that we all have that we forget is that we are alive, that we draw breath, that we have an opportunity to contribute to the upliftment of the planet.

Steve & I are lucky. If anyone is going to pull through this, it is him. We both come from strong Pennsylvania stock on our mothers’ side of the family. Our grandparents raised eight children during the depression, after my grandfather lost his construction business. Those types of life problems are temporary, but the things that really matter are family, are sticking together and helping each other. Those are the real gifts of life. You just keep on going, keep looking for the pony with all that manure around.

When times are tough, I try to develop "an attitude of gratitude.I think that it is really important this year  in particular that everyone really look at the blessings they have in their lives, to be thankful for what they have, rather than be resentful for what they feel they are lacking. With all the political chaos & economic upheaval in the world right now, it is vital to realize the commonalities that we all share: family, friends, triumphs, tragedies, goals, dreams. I’ve heard it said that “you pray to God for more, but he won’t give you more until you take care of what you’ve got.” That is what I am focusing on this Thanksgiving—what I am doing with the gifts that God has given me, what I can be grateful for, taking care of my “ten percent.”  When times are tough, I try to develop "an attitude of gratitude. Might I suggest that you consider doing the same?

I am sure Steve & Marsa & their family, his mother & all his siblings and their families will be celebrating Thanksgiving together this year, grateful to have each other, grateful for one more day of life. God Bless them. Please keep them in your thoughts & prayers during this holiday season.

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