"Trying to learn how to ride a bike as a kid with no legs"- Hunter Woodhall recalls his mother's advice as he shares a valuable life lesson with fans

Paralympic gold-medalist Hunter Woodhall has built a large following for himself, sharing glimpses of his everyday life as an athlete alongside wife and Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall. Recently, the American recalled a piece of advice his mother gave him when he was a child trying to learn how to ride a bike and shared a valuable life lesson with fans.

Woodhall is a double amputee with prosthetic legs. He was born with a congenital birth defect called fibular hemimelia, a condition where he had feet, but the fibula in both of his legs was not there. As a result, he underwent amputation as an 11-month-old child.

Recently, the sprinter recalled a time in his childhood when he was struggling to ride a bike, and the piece of advice his mother shared to motivate him, imparting a valuable lesson for fans.

“When I was trying to learn how to ride a bike as a kid with no legs, I would cry and say “I can’t do it” My mom would always calmly tell me “it’s not that you can’t do it, just that you’ll have to find another way to”. Creativity is a super power, you just gotta believe in yourself. You got this,” he wrote on Instagram Threads.

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Hunter Woodhall on how his family helped him navigate his disability

2024 GQ Men Of The Year Party - Source: Getty

For Hunter Woodhall, his amputated legs have been a part of his life since his childhood, and the sprinter explained that while he always knew he was ‘different’ when he was younger, he never let that limit him. In a piece written for Travel and Leisure, the Paralympian explained that he would always follow his older brothers’ footsteps, even if they teased him a little sometimes.

“I always understood there was something different about me — I mean, I had to put on my legs every morning. But I have two older brothers, and I followed in their footsteps, doing things they did, including sports. Sometimes, they would make fun of me, as older brothers do, telling me I was disabled, and I would say, “I’m not disabled. There’s nothing wrong with me.”

Woodhall went on to explain that his family didn't let his disability affect his day-to-day life, and it was only when he started going to a public school that he realized he was disabled.

“My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved around a lot, and I was homeschooled until fifth grade. It wasn’t until I went to public school that I realized I was disabled. Still, it wasn’t something I let affect my day-to-day life. I really credit my parents and brothers for never letting me use it as an excuse and pushing me to do everyday things like ride a bike.”

As an athlete, Hunter Woodhall has found immense success on the track. He has competed in three consecutive Paralympics and has won five medals, including the 400m T62 gold at the Paris Games. He is also a two-time World Championships silver medalist.