IRVINE, Calif. -- As an athlete, giving up can never be an option. That’s especially true for Trenten Merrill.

He lost his foot at the age of 14 after being hit by a car. But he refused to let his amputation take away his love of sports.

“A marine had came and visited me and he was the one who also told me it was possible. And he had a prosthetic foot. So it just took that one time of someone encouraging me and letting me know that it was possible to instill that hope in me and from then on I just became determined,” says Merrill.

After intense physical therapy he made his way back to the playing field. Today he’s a Team USA Paralympic long jumper. Along with fellow para-athletes, he’s spreading the message to elementary school kids in Irvine about limb differences.

The kids have curiosity in their eyes and plenty of good questions.

“Is it hard to walk on it? Does it give you hard pressure or anything, or is it easy?” asked one elementary school child.

These Össur running blades the athletes are wearing show the kids that what people perceive as disabilities can really be turned into abilities. Trenten is a U.S. track and field champion and holds the record for the U.S. long jump - the perseverance he hopes to pass along to these kids.

“I just hope that today after meeting all of us that they can, anytime they go through a hard time, they can look back at this and say 'you know what? I’m going to pursue my dreams, or I’m going to push through and persevere,'” Merrill says.

With April being Limb Loss Awareness Month, it serves as a reminder that there are an estimated two million amputees in the United States. And learning to celebrate differences at a young age helps ensure that the next generation can be accepting and also take a lesson on overcoming the odds in life.

“I believe that it’s important to be compassionate towards others that either have disabilities or are going through a hard time. And then also to be courageous and follow your dreams and to pursue them and encourage others along as well,” Merrill said

And to learn to never give up.