Eighteen-month-old Greg Stewart with his parents Mike and Leanne (Image Credit: Leanne Stewart)

By Chad Klassen

GREG STEWART

Stewart’s parents credit supportive programs, determination with incredible success

Sep 1, 2021 | 5:04 PM

KAMLOOPS — Greg Stewart was born an amputee — without a left forearm — but his parents say it never stopped him from pursuing what he loved to do.

“He’s had the philosophy and the motto since he was a kid, ‘The One-Armed Man Can,'” said Greg’s mom Leanne. “He has truly lived his life by that motto. I can’t think of hardly one thing he can’t do because of his hand. He gets it done.”

And he got it done on Tuesday night in Tokyo, dominating the F46 shot put final with the three best throws in the competition to win a Paralympic gold medal.

His parents Mike and Leanne say the War Amps, as well as community support wherever they went across B.C., have played a big role in helping Greg achieve such greatness throughout his 35 years.

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“Through the [War Amps] program, and his prosthetists Dave and different ones along the way, they have always created adaptive measures, apparatuses that he would need if he wanted to play piano or lacrosse or kayaking, basketball. It’s an endless list of different of adaptations he’s got in his closet.”

Leanne added, “They had the philosophy that it’s what left that matters, that counts. With that, they really encouraged you. This is what you do have. What can you do with that? A lot of things. Going to those programs annually for 18 years. It was an amazing organization. We were so grateful to be part of it.”

Former Paralympian Jessica Vliegenthart says she too leaned on community to reach great heights in sport. Following an accident that left her paralyzed — five days before she turned 21 — giving up wasn’t even on her mind. However, that support was key in her success.

“I was reconnected with adaptive sport pretty quickly. I want to say within the year of my spinal cord injury,” Vliegenthart remembers. “And right away, I was meeting awesome people who were on national teams, who were playing with universities from the States, or who were getting their PhDs. They were mechanical engineers and they were doing it all with their disabilities. Right away, they were like here’s how you do it.”

Vliegenthart, who keeps in touch with Stewart, is incredibly proud of her friend. So are Greg’s parents. His gold-medal performance is a moment they, and many in Kamloops, will never forget.

“The pride. My chest was sore last night. It welled up,” said Mike. “It just makes me so happy for Greg.”