Bruce Warner: Paralympian and All Kinds of Awesome

This is Bruce Warner. He is all kinds of awesome. Not only can he rip up a mountain-side better than most people, but he does it on one leg. One. Leg.

Bruce is one of those natural athletes and takes to sports in the way that dog hair takes to cashmere sweaters. No, that sounds bad. He takes to sports in the way that a duck takes to water. Unless the duck is one of those weirdo ducks that for some reason prefers an arid climate. I have now firmly established that introductions are not my forte.

But worshipful descriptions I can do! Especially if it's of someone I actually know. I am married to Bruce's cousin! That means that there is some kind of greatness gene in my children! Yay! Thanks Bruce! But that's not the point: the point is that our family had the amazing good fortune to be directly touched by the wonderful inspiration that is the Paralympics.

At opening ceremonies last week, we sat in a small crowd of South African flag-waving family. His mother was among our crew. Her pride ran down her cheeks in the most stirring moment of all: she watched her son doing something amazing: he walked - which he didn't know he'd ever do after his accident, but he WALKED while carrying his country's flag.

Paralympians humble and motivate me. It's a good reminder when, because I'm only 5'2 and everyone at work always hides my coffee mug on the top shelf, I feel sorry for myself until I remember that I have two legs - short as they may well be.

Best of all, Bruce is very open to talking about his accident and his prosthetic leg. He even lets the Big Girl step on his foot because she's so in awe that she can do that and IT DOESN'T HURT!
I never thought that this would be a really cool part of having a fake leg, but children point these things out to you.

She's taking him to her school for Show & Tell. He is the very definition of a Good Sport!

Here's what happened: as a teenager, Bruce was in a car accident that shattered his femur. With an injury like that, the only option was full amputation. The breath-taking innovation of prosthetic medicine enabled him to walk again on a bionic-looking leg - one which he takes on and off whenever. We're quite accustomed to his unipod state that it made for an amusing moment before our wedding. He had it off when he was helping us set up. He was inside. My friend from Toronto had just arrived outside. I said, "You should go in and meet Bruce. He's terrific." In she went. Twenty minutes later she came back out and said, "Nice fellow. Could have warned me about the leg."

Bruce's journey to the paralympics began in Washington state where he was fitted for the aforementioned leg. Since he was so close to Vancouver, Husband's family drove down to fetch him there and took him....skiing in Whistler. He took to it like...well, we've established that is was better than dog hair on a sweater. He trained. And trained. And qualified for Nagano, then Turino and finally...full circle: in Whistler in 2010. Along the way, he met and married a delightful lady from the IOC and their son just turned one. He had his first birthday party in Whistler as his father made a world record in awesomeness.

He told me once about the phenomenon of "phantom pains" reminding us all that we can mourn for what's lost or we could see that pain as a reminder to move on, keep going, stronger, higher and faster.

Thank you for being you Bruce. We are all so proud of you.