Teen who lost lower legs to bacterial meningitis now finding success on wrestling mat WGAL News 8 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT >> GO. MIKE: AGGRESSIVELY MIGHT BE THE -- WRESTLING MIGHT BE THE PERFECT SPORT FOR WEST PERRY FRESHMAN DEVEN JACKSON. IT’S ALL ABOUT TOUGHNESS, DETERMINATION AND GUTS. DEVEN HAS ALL OF THAT, EVEN IF HE DOESN’T HAVE LOWER LEGS. >> HE’S A REALLY GIFTED ATHLETE. FORGET THE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS, HE WILL MAKE YOU WORK. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER YOU HAVE LEGS OR NOT. MIKE: DEVEN LOST HIS LEGS WHEN HE WAS EIGHT TO BACTERIAL MENINGITIS. WE INTRODUCED YOU TO HIM FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS PLAYING MIDGET FOOTBALL AS A SIXTH GRADER. NOW, HE’S RIGHT AT HOME ON THE MAT. >> IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU. YOU ARE OUT THERE AND IF YOU LOSE, IT IS YOUR FAULT. AND YOU GET IT. MIKE: IN HIS FIRST YEAR, HE HAS AN 18-7 RECORD AND TO SOME OPPONENTS HAVE UNDERESTIMATED HIM. >> THEY WILL BE LIKE MULLICA THIS KID, HE CANNOT DO THIS -- BE LOIKE, LOOK AT THIS KID, HE CANNOT DO IT. AND I END UP BEATING THEM. MIKE: THE 106-POUNDER FACES CHALLENGES EVERY PRACTICE, WHETHER IT’S LEARNING A MOVE WITHOUT USING HIS LEGS, OR SIMPLE THINGS LIKE WORKING CARDIO. >> AND EVEN AS FAR AS CONDITIONING, WHAT CAN YOU DO. WE HAVE AN EXERCISE BIKE FOR HIM TO WORK HIS ARMS, WE HAVE THE ROPE OUT FOR HIM TO DO HIS EXERCISE. >> I TRY TO DO STANDUPS, I CANNOT DO THEM SO I TRIED TO DO SWITCHES AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF. MIKE: DEVEN WANTS TO WIN 100 MATCHES IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, WHICH MEANS AVERAGING 25 PER SEASON. THOSE WHO KNOW HIM AREN’T BETTING AGAINST HIM. >> I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME HE PUTS IN, HOW MUCH DESIRE HE HAS. SO CAN BE WHERE HE IS NOW IS NOT A HUGE SURPRISE TO ME. MI

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