"Perseverance Award Winner" Anthony Robles Gets Honored At The ESPY's!

Hero Wrestler Anthony Robles Gets Honored!
For Anthony Robles, it was the perfect ending to the perfect season.
The Arizona State wrestler born with one leg ended his undefeated season with the crown on Saturday, defeating the defending champ Matt McDonough of Iowa, 7-1. Robles, who took up wrestling during his freshman year of high school, told USA Today that being born without a leg actually gave him an advantage over his opponent.
Because he uses crutches, he said he's got a much stronger grip, which can help him on takedowns and turns.
"I have such a strong grip," he told the newspaper.
A kid born with one leg and no interest in wearing a prosthetic just to fit in? You just don't hear about that kind of confidence and courage every day.
He was determined to wrestle, even if it meant getting beat, match after match his freshman year in high school. Even if it meant having people laugh and gawk at his disability.
But eventually he started winning. And he didn't stop, landing him at last week's ESPY awards, where he won both the Best Male Athlete With a Disability Award and the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
People might look at Robles and feel awe. But maybe they feel like they can't relate to his story. But they can.
The other day, I found out a friend of mine is going through a divorce and not by choice. The words "shame," "failure" and "embarrassment" kept coming up. It has become the dark secret from which to hide. I felt the despair and defeat in the conversation.
All I could think of was Robles.
I know being born with one leg might seem like a far stretch from a lost love, but here's the thing. We all have personal challenges.
Sometimes they are physical: missing limbs, diseases and ailments. Other times, it's the hurdles that others might not see. Maybe it's a lost job, a divorce, depression and other things we find hard to deal with.
Even when you did nothing wrong, it's easy to wrap yourself in shame and embarrassment when you're going through these hardships. When people stare and whisper as you pass by, or feel sorry for you, it's hard to ignore. It can be emotionally debilitating.
But you have to keep fighting, stronger and harder. Even if life is beating you down, you have to get back on the mat.
And that's what I told my friend, because that is what I learned from Anthony Robles as he accepted his Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. It's given to a sports figure who has overcome great obstacles through physical determination and perseverance.