Did anyone else see the interview with Bryant Gumbal on Real Sports? This guy has the will of a lion! After losing his legs he: Went back and finished the race in which he was injured. Races AND WINS again! Runs swims with fins dives uses his prosthetic leg as a cup holder!!! I always respected him but this was truly awesome to see!
Was this the reunion or rebroadcast of 2003 in-depth interview? I missed the reunion & likely won't see it, as I don't have HBO - saw the 2003 one, complete with human hamburger in flight. If they ever rebroadcast the 1st one (as well they should), you'll see Alex Zanardi is highly inspirational... the very reason Gumbel got an Emmy.
This was the reunion broadcast not the original. I saw it and am still amazed at his attitude. There something to be said for athletes who are successful winners. Their attitude is what sets them apart. I think a winning attitude goes a long way toward success. How else can you explain someone like Michael Jordan who never played golf in his youth being able to hold his own against professional golfers. It's his winning desire to succeed. How else can you explain Magic Johnson who was diagnosed with HIV 15 year ago and to this day he hasn't developed aids. How else can you explain a guy who lost both his legs getting back into an Indy car a year later and turning a fast lap that would have placed him 5th on the grid for that same race. Attitude goes a long way in life!
well....and skills, abilities, aptitude, etc that one gets at birth. The old question of nature v. nuture.
I am about finished with his book about his life including the accident. It is pretty good albeit choppy. Indeed, iron will and focused like a sniper rifle.
Attitude is something I believe we aren't all naturally born with. I use the Magic Johnson example frequently and people's first repsonse is "...well he has a lot of money and can afford the best treatment." My response is "..........well so do all the zillionares in Hollywood but anytime one of them is diagnosed with aids they are dead in six months." Money buys good treatment, attitude buys good health !
You make a good point. "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will" -Vincent J. Lombardi
Magic also leads a very healthy lifestyle and is very very aware of behaviors that can lead to development of AIDS, I agree that his attitude is a huge part, but you can't count out the fact that he is a very smart man about the virus he has. I wrote a paper on Zanardi a year ago, about how inspirational he was, and he is just a complete class act, a real hero. I am just speechless when I think of all he has gone through, he made it to the top even though he didn't start as early as many of his competitors, and now he has proven he can do all of this even after having such a catastrophe, go alex!
