Over-coming odds - first ever powerlifting meet for challenged young man

**FUZO** · 09-27-2015, 08:44 PM

Sent in by Jeremy R. Hartman: Yesterday 17 year old HPT athlete Zach King, competed in his first ever sporting event.
Zach, mom, and assistant HPT coach Tony Mathews all the the long trip from Indianapolis, IN to Kalamazoo, Michigan for Zach's first meet.
Zach was born with a rare genetic spine disorder (spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital) that affects his joints, long bones, neck, vision, and of course his spine. He has had 5 surgeries to get him straight and able to live a partially normal life. 1 of these surgeries a consisted of a spinal fusion at the age of 9. He now has 2 rods down his spine from between his shoulder blades to the top of his pelvic bones.

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**Yohimbe** · 09-27-2015, 11:05 PM

Stories like this always inspire me. I think of all of the days I'm complaining about this and that, or in a crappy mood because my workout didn't go how I wanted it to that afternoon. Then I read something like this and realize how lucky I am that I can go in the gym and do what I love every day without a second thought. Congratulations to this guy for entering his first ever powerlifting meet. That's true strength right there.

**maxseg** · 09-28-2015, 12:35 AM

Very inspiring.
I met a person at a UPA meet back in 2003 in Dubuque. His name is Mark Hauschildt, Mark had been confined to a wheelchair his whole life with no use of his legs. Mark was born with Spina Bifada and in my book is the best Bencher that I may have ever met. Mark is a great guy with an awesome outlook on life, we sat for hours BSing and critiquing lifts. I watched Mark competition press 534 and barely miss 545 that night, inspiring.