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Dylan Fischbach brings home Olympic Gold
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Returns from Paralympic Games in Australia
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October 21, 2009 |
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Dylan Fischbach and Grandpa Gary Paulson
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Gary Paulson of Ogden was proud to accompany his grandson, Dylan Fischbach to Australia where Paulson witnessed him winning a gold medal in the 2009 Australian Paralympic Youth Games in Melbourne Australia the first week of October.
"It's hard to measure the joy a grandparent has watching a grandson play in Australia, especially having been present with Dylan's parents the day the surgeons removed his leg some 11 years ago," said Paulson.
Dylan, a high school freshman from Vermillion, SD, was invited to be on the USA wheelchair basketball team for ages 20 and under. His team defeated Victoria in the semifinals 69-33 then Dylan's successive three-pointers put USA ahead in the final game as they took the Gold with a 66-53 win over Western Australia.
Dylan is not afraid to speak out about his disability.
"I don't look at it as a disability really," he said. "If this is a disability, then it's a gift from God because it's giving me an opportunity that not many people get."
"As a family we were devastated at first because I work with sports medicine at the University of South Dakota and my wife Kelly is a physical education teacher, so athletics is kind of at our core," says his father Bruce.
"Ever since we got his first prosthetic leg, we never said he can't do any activity and if he wanted to try a sport, we let him."
Before departing for the games Bruce told his son, "You never know when you might be called on to make a big play that will make a difference, so be ready." Dylan finished 22nd in scoring for the games. |
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©The Ogden Reporter 2010
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