Born with arms that end at the elbows and legs near the knees, this man did things that you wouldn’t expect him doing! For him, there is certainly NO EXCUSES!
Kyle Maynard was born with a condition called congenital amputation. “The day Kyle was born was, uhm, well obviously it was traumatic,” says Scott Maynard, his Dad.
Dealing with his disabilities was hard both for Kyle and his family. Kyle had to learn things with extra patience and perseverance. Things as simple as using a spoon seem to be impossible for Kyle. In doing so, he failed many times, but it didn’t stop him. “I had to go through these failures to learn how to do it,” he said as he recalls his failures.
“He may look disabled, but he’s not,” said Anita Maynard, his Mom who’s always been there supporting him. Kyle used every failure that he had to all the more persevere. He eventually learned how to eat with a spoon, how to shave, and how to write with a normal pen. Now, he’s also able to type about 50 words a minute and to drive his own car. Kyle also lives an independent life in a three-story townhouse in Atlanta, GA.
Kyle did a lot of things that you wouldn’t imagine him doing. In sixth grade he joined the wrestling, however, out of fear, he had lost in his first 35 matches. Along with losing in those matches, Kyle had somehow also lost his self-confidence. But this realization changed his game: “…my opponent was just as afraid as I was or more, if he was afraid then I didn’t have to be.” By high school, he became a wrestling champion and those wins became a big part of who he is today.
He eventually became a motivational speaker. “My message is a pretty simple one. It is to make no excuses.” Indeed, Kyle is living a life with no excuses! Despite his disability, Kyle continues to do the things that he wanted to do. He did football, wrestled for one of the best teams in the Southeast, set records in weightlifting, fought in mixed martial arts. His book entitled No Excuses (2005) became a New York Times bestseller. He spoke in front of many people, encouraging them with the story of his life.
In 2012, Kyle set his dreams higher and became the first quadruple amputee to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest mountain in Africa. Kyle kept conquering mountains. He was also able to climb Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in South America.
Kyle Maynard is the first quadruple-amputee to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Aconcagua without the aid of prosthetics. He’s incredible. This is his story.
“The reasons I climb aren’t that different from other people. 95% of it does suck. I’m staring at the dirt, I’m not even able to go and talk with my friends and see the beautiful views, and I say ‘stop and sit down and look.’ But that 5% that doesn’t suck? It’s amazing!”
Kyle believes in himself which enables him to dream high. Perseverance enables him to achieve those dreams no matter how high it may get. He is definitely an inspiration to everyone who hears his story.
“My purpose in life, at least from my perspective, would be to help show other people their purpose. Help show other people their capabilities. Help show other people their human potential.”