Inspiring Boy With Cerebral Palsy Starts Triathlon For Kids With Disabilities
Watch this 9-year-old explain why he launched a triathlon for children with disabilities.
An amazing 9-year-old boy with cerebral palsy is bringing hope to children with disabilities with a new triathlon he started just for them and their families.
Bailey Matthews first started inspiring people all over the world in the summer of 2015 when a video of him crossing the finish line of the Castle Howard Triathlon in North Yorkshire, England went viral.
Bailey, who was 8 at the time, completed the event that consisted of a 100-meter lake swim, 4,000-meter bike ride, and a 1,300-meter run. Talk about dedication and hard work!
The heartening video of Bailey might bring you to tears. As the crowd cheers him on and the announcer gives live updates on his incredible will, Bailey pushes his walking frame away and heads toward the finish line with a giant smile on his face. Despite falling twice, he quickly gets back up and finishes the race without any aid.
“Bailey has always been very determined. If he wants to do something he will find a way to do it, even if it is not the conventional way,” Bailey’s mother, Julie, told The Yorkshire Post. “We have always tried to make sure that if there is something he wants to do, there is no such word as ‘can’t.’”
Bailey’s persistence and his parents’ can-do attitude is inspiring to all parents, but especially for parents with kids who have disabilities. It’s perfectly reasonable to worry about the possible struggles your child could encounter because of their disability, especially when they are first diagnosed. The Matthews family proves that anyone can find hope and happiness when challenging themselves to push past their perceived limitations.
His conviction combined with his love for triathlons led Bailey to create his own that is for kids with disabilities and their families, according to The Mighty. The Be More Bailey Triathlon will be part of the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon on July 17 in Derby. Bailey is also helping motivate kids to try different activities by spending the money raised at the event on sports equipment for children with disabilities.
“I wanted to be involved in doing some good for all the children,” Bailey told BBC Radio Derby. “If you feel like you want to try it out, but don’t think you can, the thing that I do is: I can try triathlon because it has the word ‘try’ in it.”
This kid isn’t even in the double digits yet and he is already spreading a beautiful message that trying is more important than winning. Just like his finish line video went viral, Bailey’s enthusiasm is resonating with lots of people including celebrities. Simon Cowell shared a message of support for Bailey on Good Morning Britain.
“Why can’t everyone be like Bailey? If we had more Baileys in the world, like you, the world would be a better place,” Cowell said.
A better place indeed.
